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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24710602">The Rise of Rangi</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/D7kyoshi/pseuds/D7kyoshi'>D7kyoshi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar the Last Airbender - Fandom, The Rise of Kyoshi, The Shadow of Kyoshi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avatar, Avatar the Last Airbender, Bending (Avatar), Canon Lesbian Relationship, Earth Kingdom (Avatar), F/F, Fire Nation (Avatar), Firebending &amp; Firebenders, Kirima gets more screen time, Kyoshi and Lek’s friendship will be more built, Lek Appreciation Club, Rangi POV, Self-Discovery, Slow Build, Slow Romance, This is literally ROK but in Rangi's POV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:59:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>121,890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24710602</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/D7kyoshi/pseuds/D7kyoshi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rangi's story. This starts with her as a young child at the Fire Nation Academy for Girls and Junior Corp and flows into her experiences the first few years at the Avatar's Mansion before transitioning into her perspective during The Rise of Kyoshi.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kyoshi &amp; Rangi (Avatar), Kyoshi/Rangi (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>873</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Welcome to the Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I’m a glutton for having multiple fanfics going so here it is! Let’s be honest, if you love Kyoshi, then you probably love Rangi too.<br/>Here’s the backstory I have created to explain how she became such a force to be reckoned with.</p><p>Please like and comment! Feedback is always welcome. :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <em>“Rangi!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little girl’s eyes went wide as she looked down at the shards of her mother’s vase. Her heart and mind started racing while she thought of a good excuse. There wasn’t one, not to her mother.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hei-Ran appeared in the doorway. A glare fell heavily onto her daughter. “What did you do?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I didn’t mean to!” The eight year protested as she fell to her knees, bowing deeply into the floor in submission.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That was a gift from the Fire Lord! Clean it up now, then go to your room!” The demand made her daughter’s neck hairs stand up. Her mother pointed to the mess of ceramic as Rangi quickly scrambled forward, placing the larger pieces into the apron of her long vest. She sniffled and held back tears, eventually standing up and walking towards the kitchen to dispose of the mess.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Without looking up, the eight year old found the waste basket while ignoring the glances and stares of the kitchen staff. She sulked through the halls of the house before making it to her bedroom.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With effort, she closed the large metal door. Rangi went straight to her bed and laid down facing the wall. Her knees were pulled close to her chest as she also hugged one of her pillows. The tears finally broke through.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Small, high pitched sobs filled the once silent air of the room. Her chest began to hurt as she gasped for air. She didn’t like disappointing her mother, mostly she feared the punishment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The door opened and she immediately stopped herself from making another whimper. The bed shifted as her mother sat down next to her. Hei-ran gently placed a hand on Rangi’s leg and the girl couldn’t help but flinch.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A soft sigh of sadness came from the woman. Rangi tensed up even more when she felt the bed shifting more and opened her eyes to see her mother now laying between her and the wall. Hei-Ran gently pushed back the loose hairs on her daughter’s face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Have you learned to stop running around the house this time?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi sniffled and nodded her head, avoiding eye contact with the woman in front of her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They laid there in silence for a minute before Hei-Ran spoke again. “What has gotten into you lately? That’s the third thing broken in the past two weeks.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tears began welling up in the base of the little girl’s eyes again. She didn’t want to say but when her mother asked a question, it was her duty to answer. “I miss father.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A frown fell upon her mother’s face. “Oh, Rangi.” Her voice was low in sorrow. She gently moved the pillow from the grip of her daughter and pulled her in close. “I miss him too. He loved you so much.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Before more tears began to fall, Rangi shoved her face into the fabrics of her mother’s robe. She tried taking deep breaths but with every few, she’d choke on air and tears. Considering her mother was often the one to punish her for mistakes, Rangi didn’t necessarily feel fully comforted by her physical presence but it was better than nothing.</em>
</p><p>**********</p><p>With several jabs, Rangi sent fireballs hurling across the practice arena. She made several cross steps before performing another set of punches and kicks.</p><p>Practicing katas was an escape for her. She could focus intensely on controlling herself while the environment around her stayed neutral. This was time for her to ignore anything and everything howling inside. It paid off too. She was one of the best firebenders at the Academy due to her merciless self-regimen.</p><p>Her feet pressed out wider than her shoulders and she went deep into a horse stance before leaning towards her right side while making an arc with her left arm. She finished with a closed fist at the bottom and a large stream of fire shot from her knuckles.</p><p>As she finished the kata, there was a clapping from the entrance of the small arena. Rangi quickly snapped around to see her mother standing there and bowed deeply.</p><p>“Wonderful, Rangi. Remember to keep your left foot on the ground though. Don’t let it come up on the instep or on the heel.” Hei-Ran fully entered the sanded practice arena now and walked towards her daughter.</p><p>“Yes, mother.” The girl bowed again. Her mother typically didn’t interrupt while she practiced forms.</p><p>“Horse stance.” Hei-Ran smiled as her daughter immediately stepped into perfect form. She circled the girl, pushing her in every direction in hopes to get her off balance. “Your obedience and determination makes me proud.”</p><p>“Thank you, mother.” The girl’s face hardly moved. Her lips were a straight line and no emotion showed through her eyes. She knew better than to give anything less than perfection.</p><p>Hei-Ran stood to the right of Rangi, just barely in her peripheral vision. It was a traditional move to show rank. “I spoke with the Fire Lord and bending Masters of the Army. Now that you are twelve, we feel that it is time for you to join the Fire Nation Army’s Junior Corp. You leave in two days.”</p><p>“It is an honor. I will not let you down.” Rangi’s voice strained a little. A few weeks previous, she had burned her throat during an incident at the Royal Fire Academy. There were several small blisters and burns on her arms and chest still.</p><p>“Good. Do not embarrass me like you did at the Academy. What you did was completely uncalled for and I’m still having to answer for it. How are your wounds?”</p><p>“Fine.” The girl couldn’t help but feel some spite towards her mother at the moment. If it hadn’t been for her, none of what had unfolded would have happened. She stared at the stone wall across from her and waited out the conversation.</p><p>Hei-Ran walked into the front of Rangi’s view. “You are going to do great in Junior Corp. I know it will be the perfect place for you to be. You’re very talented, but it seems the Girls Academy is not the right fit for you.</p><p>“Junior Corp will be very intense and rigorous. You are going to be tested every hour of every day. Standard training is three months, followed by nine months of speciality training and education.” The stern look turned into a warming smile. “But, I’m not concerned one bit about you, my beautiful firebreather.”</p><p>“Thanks, mom.” The girl blushed at the nickname that her mother had used since she was a baby.</p><p>“At ease.”</p><p>Rangi stood up and immediately walked forward to pull Hei-Ran in a tight hug. Despite her anger and frustration towards her mother, she was still going to miss her. The woman was all Rangi had left and she knew that nothing would tear them apart.</p><p>Her mother’s arms tightened around her and they stood in a quiet, peaceful embrace for a moment. “You’re going to do great things.”</p><p>**********</p><p>After Hei-Ran had left, Rangi now stood in the middle of a crowded great hall with other children her age. Only whispers could be heard as no one dared to speak any louder. No one had any belongings with them either. They weren’t allowed to bring anything from home, not even their own personal clothes.</p><p>When they arrived earlier, Rangi was handed a uniform that was drastically different from her Academy one. She now stood there in the cadet military outfit of gray pants and a gray long sleeve shirt with a black sleeveless fitted tunic. Around her waist was a red sash that matched the red trimming of her tunic.</p><p>“Cadets, attention!” A voice boomed from a balcony at the front of the hall. A hush fell over the room as everyone turned to face its origin. General Zel stood at the railing, looking down at all of the new faces. She had seen him a few times when her mother had taken her to the Palace.</p><p>“It means something to be part of the Junior Corp. You are the youngest members of the Fire Nation Army. From this moment forward, throughout the rest of your life, you will prove to have constant resolve in the face of constant adversity.</p><p>“Our process is unlike any other in this world. Uncompromising military and class systems that work in unison. Excellent education from one of the greatest institutions. And the world’s strictest honor code. We are able to produce the finest soldiers known across the lands.”</p><p>He took a deep breath and gazed around the large room before continuing. “But, make no mistake: this process comes at a price. You are about to enter the hardest school known to mankind. The bond you will make with those to the left and right of you is ineffable. Together, you will be challenged and tested in ways that you never once imagined.</p><p>“In the Fire Nation Army, you must earn everything. You must earn your place in our barracks. Nothing will be simply handed to you. Success is not guaranteed, but I can assure you that you are provided with the resources you need to succeed. Use them.”</p><p>His bright bronze and gold colored eyes seemed to look right at Rangi, but she tried to remind herself that this was a clean slat. Surely her mother’s riddled past wouldn’t follow her here.</p><p>“You will make yourself known. Your reputation will be defined by your willpower, integrity, and commitment to getting things done the right way. You will thrive if you make yourself known as someone that cares about our system and refuses to be outworked. When stripped of all else, your reputation is all you have. Relentlessly defend it.”</p><p>General Zel looked away from her and Rangi immediately began racing through the words that he had just said. He knew. Of course he knew! But, his words almost felt like a reassurance that she was the only one to determine her fate here. Sweat began to build up on her shoulders in slight panic though.</p><p>“You all stand here in front of me today because you want a challenge. You stand here because you want to change yourself for the good. Cadets, today is the day we follow through on giving you that challenge. Embrace our process and you will succeed. Welcome to the fire!”</p><p>With that as the ending, he waved his hands and commanders began shuffling through the crowd. They pushed and pulled everyone into six different groups of formations. Rangi was pulled to the front of hers, leading the line behind her. There were three more lines close next to her.</p><p>“Shoulders back! Arms at your side! Chin in! Look forward!”</p><p>Orders began flying in every direction and Rangi did her best to take it all in as quick as possible. Her mother had already trained her on how to stand in formation but it didn’t make this moment any less intense.</p><p>Once all of the cadets were lined up, they began walking out of the hall with one experienced soldier in front of each line. In front of them was someone else carrying a small flag. They didn’t yell at them to march in a certain manner. They didn’t even talk to them as they walked through the military base.</p><p>Her eyes darted around to the different black iron buildings and she noticed everyone outside stopped to watch them walk by. They hollered and jeered at the junior corps, seemingly trying to taunt them.</p><p>It was best that she let her eyes stay focused forward and ignore anything except orders given to her. She looked towards the large, five story building they were aimed towards. There were multiple windows on the outside of it. The barracks.</p><p>As they approached, they walked through a large arch way and into an open courtyard. Cheering broke into her ears as she looked up to see soldiers leaning over the railing of the top three stories of the building. They hollered like the people outside along the roads, but this time it was amplified by the enclosed area.</p><p>The soldiers walking in front of them turned around and began yelling. “This way, move it now!”</p><p>They ran to a corner of the courtyard and were stopped and lined up once more. The soldiers leading them pushed through the lines, correcting how they stood. Her group stood there silently as the five remaining groups got ran in and lined up just like they did.</p><p>Soldiers up on the railings laughed and screamed at them while commanders barked orders.</p><p>“Heads up!”</p><p>“No talking!”</p><p>“Quit moving!”</p><p>Then two large drums echoed through the courtyard and all the soldiers in unison yelled out a deep, foreboding “OOOH!” It got progressively louder until the drums pounded again, then silence fell quickly over the crowd.</p><p>The sound of marching feet reached them before the soldiers did but when they entered, Rangi couldn’t help but get goosebumps down her arms and spine. They marched in two long lines parallel to each other. The drums kept pounding out three deep notes before three beats of rest as the parade marched forward.</p><p>Their onyx armor shined in the sun and their red uniforms underneath were starched to perfection. The girl felt a deeply seated desire to have that one day. She wanted out of the grays and into the reds.</p><p>The line of soldiers stopped, but continued marching in place. They took up the entire expanse of the courtyard. A few quicker notes came from the drums and the soldier line turned sharply to face the cadets as they stopped marching in place.</p><p>A sergeant stood at the balcony railing of the second floor. “Cadets! The ones that stand before you are your Masters. They represent the essence of the Fire Nation Army, of which you are about to enter. A system that will challenge you mentally, physically, and emotionally. Only your will and obedience to this group will ensure your success. They will not give up on you, even when most of you have given up on yourselves.</p><p>“We provide the best and demand nothing but the best, and because of this, you will respect them. If you succeed, you will earn the privilege of calling yourself a Fire Nation soldier. They will teach, and YOU WILL LEARN!”</p><p>The last three words were accented by the entire crowd of soldiers joining in. The sergeant continued once the sound faded out. “You will not fail them, because you have no choice. Masters!”</p><p>At this command, the soldiers that were lined up in the middle all moved towards the ends of the formations. They stopped and waited.</p><p>“This institute will be heard today. Cadets! MEET. YOUR. MASTERS!”</p><p>The Sergeant’s last three words were once again accented by the crowd and within a second, the cadets were being verbally attacked. The Masters began getting up close to every soldier to yell in their faces.</p><p>It was only a matter of time before Rangi got her own helping of chaos. An older girl stood in front of her, just inches away. “You look a little too porcelain to be here! You think you’re going to make it? You’re going to break quick!”</p><p>Rangi knew better than to reply right now. The Master was trying to slip her up. An older boy walked up to her side and they began double teaming her with insults.</p><p>“Your pretty face won’t last a week!”</p><p>“Are you here just to make mommy proud? Are you trying to keep your honor to help hers?”</p><p>“I bet a water bender can bend fire better than you!”</p><p>“I can’t wait to break you down, rat! I’m going to have my eyes on you the whole time!”</p><p>“Did you come here to become an assassin just like your mother?”</p><p>The yelling felt no different than when she would get in trouble as a kid or from the bullying she received back at the Academy. If she could, she would dish out the yelling back at them. She kept facing forward, blurring out their heckling.</p><p>It was only a minute before the drums sounded and the Masters backed off and marched back into their line. Rangi could hear a few kids sniffling from the rapid fire verbal torment. She thought to herself that if they couldn’t last through a minute of someone yelling at them, then they weren’t going to make it much further than tonight.</p><p>The Sergeant raised his right hand and spoke again after the Masters also raised their right hands. “Masters! I understand these Cadets are entrusted into my care. I will train them to the best of my ability. I will train them into disciplined, physically fit, mentally tough cadets. I will demand of them, and demonstrate through my own example, the highest standards of honor, morality, civility, personal conduct, and military skill.”</p><p>All of the Masters repeated the swearing given by their Sergeant. After they finished, he said his final words. “Masters, take command of your companies, and execute the plan of the day.”</p><p>The yelling began once more as the Masters of her company stepped forward again. “Hands stay at your side! Eyes stay forward! Follow the lines and turn at a ninety degree angle! Move, move, move! Let’s go!”</p><p>They began to file out towards the stairs. Everyone was either jogging or walking fast, their arms squeezed tightly into their sides. Rangi was now at the back of the group and she smiled inside at how fun this was already. She finally felt in her element.</p><p>**********</p><p>Rangi sat on her bed after her quick shower that night. She ran the military issued comb through her shoulder length black hair. Like everyone else in the Fire Nation, she took great pride in making sure it was well kept and pristine.</p><p>After that, she took a cloth and polished the hairpins that the Army had provided for them. They were simple and black, far from the ornate ones she had back home.</p><p>“Rangi, that’s your name right?” A soft voice asked across the room.</p><p>The girl looked up and saw her three bunk mates sitting together and talking. She nodded and went back to finishing the polishing of her hairpins before moving onto her tall black boots.</p><p>“You don’t talk much, do you?” One of the girls was now standing a few feet from her. “I’m Duri.”</p><p>Rangi didn’t look up from polishing her boots. “I’m not here to make friends.”</p><p>“Oh.” There was disappointment in Duri’s voice as she turned around and walked away. “Well, in case you want to know, this is Hana and Ji.”</p><p>She quickly looked up and put their names to their faces before going back to her chores. Once she finished, it was time for lights out. Rangi curled up under the covers and faced the wall. It had been a long day. She took a couple of long, deep breaths before slowly drifting to sleep.</p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Everyone, we have a new student. This is Rangi. She is a transfer from one of the Fire Nation Schools. If she has any questions, please help her.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The teacher looked down at her. “Go take your seat in the back, please.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi nodded and slowly walked through the aisle of desks to her seat. She clutched her books tightly to her chest as she glanced at the other students looking at her. The girl next to her spot smiled at her as she sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her desk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m Sung.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi smiled timidly. Was she already making a friend? “I’m Rangi.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You should hang out with me and my friends after class during recess. Okay?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little girl’s smile went from timid to excited. “Okay!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her first day at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls was going better than she expected. She looked down at her lap with a big smile on her face and straightened out her uniform before looking up at the board for the day’s lesson.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Made For This</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A loud metal clanking sound filled the room and Rangi’s eyes shot open. She leaped out of bed and quickly made it before standing at attention. The sheets were pulled snug and no wrinkles could be seen. A Sergeant came into the room, as well as four young Masters.</p>
<p>He was an average height but his muscle tone made him appear taller. The facial hair was sharply trimmed and kept short. She had seen a glance of him from a social event at the Palace once. Her brain raced to remember his name. Z... Z... Zho... Zhu!</p>
<p>He walked about, looking for anything wrong or out of place. The man stopped in front of Rangi. She didn’t look anywhere except forward as he looked her up and down. “Bed already made? Not looking dishelved like the rest of your group? You’re a Military brat, aren’t you? What’s your name, Cadet?”</p>
<p>She straightened her back even more and pushed through the strain in her throat. “Rangi, Sergeant!”</p>
<p>“Impressive. Hei-Ran did a great job raising a soldier.” His face moved in close to hers and he lowered his voice. “I heard about your incident at the Academy. Between that and you’re showing right now, you’ve put a nice target on your back as someone I can push even further past their limits. I can’t wait to see you crawl.”</p>
<p>“I will not be defeated, Sergeant!” Rangi locked eyes with him in a challenge.</p>
<p>“Let’s get you through this first week and we will see about that.” He moved on to the next bunks and yelled at the other Cadets, commenting on their lackluster appearances and lack of discipline.</p>
<p>The Sergeant walked to the door and faced them all. “Cadets! You have five minutes to get dressed and be down in the marching field. And that’s a seven minute walk itself.” His eyes darted to everyone in the room before him and his company left.</p>
<p>As soon as he disappeared, Rangi quickly changed her pants and shirt. Her fingers fumbled a little getting the clasps on her tunic to connect but she did it in record time. Then, she combed her hair and whipped it into a topknot before sliding the hairpin in with ease. Her boots were easy to yank on and before her bunk mates were even finished changing, she was running out the door and into the early morning darkness.</p>
<p>She bounded down five flights of stairs, down through the courtyard, and made for a full sprint to the marching field. Everyone that she passed looked confused by how fast she was going but she didn’t care, this was a race against the clock.</p>
<p>The lit up field made it into her vision and she took a deep breath of air, pushing herself even more. Her feet stumbled a little on the sprint downhill but she caught up with herself and made it safely to the bottom. She continued pushing her legs to run even faster in order to make the time cap.</p>
<p>Across the field stood all the commanding officers. They watched her in amusement as she came sprinting into view. As she arrived, Sergeant Zhu smiled. “You beat everyone else, but it’s been six minutes. You’re late.”</p>
<p>Rangi couldn’t believe it. If this would have been a real mission, then she would have let the team down. She forced herself to stand at attention despite hardly being able to breathe from the intense run. So badly did she want to slump over.</p>
<p>“Sir, I’m sorry,” she gulped down air before finishing ,”Sir!” A small line of pain ran down the inside of her throat from her wounds and Rangi did everything she could to ignore it. It wasn’t going to get any better as long as she had to keep yelling.</p>
<p>As the other Cadets filed in, the Masters helped place them in their Company formations. They never moved Rangi though. She stayed standing in front of all the head staff, alone.</p>
<p>The Sergeant took a step forward. “You are all LATE! That’s one hundred push ups and two hundred hot squats. Unless your name in Rangi, then that’s two hundred push ups and four hundred hot squats for being the first loser to arrive!” His eyes bore into hers.</p>
<p>She took the punishment without protest. As soon as they were allowed to start, the girl began the repetitive motion of pushing herself up and letting herself back down to the earth. She went through the motions without stopping until one hundred and thirty, when she began feeling weak. Her arms and her shoulders burned and shook as she tried pushing herself upwards.</p>
<p>For only a moment, she stopped at the bottom of a pushup. She reached her arms out to the side to stretch them before pulling them back into position. She continued again for another ten pushups before the burning returned. Her teeth ground together as she pushed through the pain.</p>
<p>It was now that she realized why Hei-Ran had always made physical fitness a priority. She knew her daughter would eventually join the Army, just as she did when she was younger. Rangi had it engrained in her that even though she felt pain, it was only a matter of discomfort. What she felt now was nowhere near her capacity.</p>
<p>As she finished her pushups, everyone else was finishing on their hot squats. She did hers alone and in silence as her fellow Cadets and the Officers watched. It was embarrassing to be made an example of but if this is what she got for being the first person out here and the closest to the assigned time, then so be it.</p>
<p>She finished the hot squats and stood at attention, sweat dripping down her face already and the sun wasn’t even up yet. The ache in her arms began to subside while her legs still stung from the repetitive motion of the squats.</p>
<p>“Return to your Company.” The Sergeant never let his eyes waver from her.</p>
<p>“Yes, Sergeant!” She turned at a ninety degree angle towards her company and jogged over them, taking her spot at the front of one of the four lines. It was a relief to be blended in again with the sea of gray uniforms.</p>
<p>Sergeant Zhu let his voice carry through the field. “Today, you will learn to march properly, take a fitness test, take the aptitude test, and be assigned a Master Cadet. It may not sound like much, but you will be challenged.”</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>This was the fifth time they were being sent through the obstacle course. With every cycle through, they were allowed less and less time. If a Cadet didn’t make it under the time allowed, they were eliminated from the next round and given a punishment of running.</p>
<p>Rangi looked over at the other three Cadets that were left: all three were boys. The young girl already had a competitive spirit, but it seemed to turn into a raging fire when she had to prove herself against the boys. It made her honor and pride swell.</p>
<p>A bell sounded and Rangi took off. She leapt onto the thick log that was three feet off the ground. Swiftly, her feet moved up the small incline until the end where she jumped a gap onto a net. It wiggled and moved against her movement but it didn’t stop her from climbing with ease.</p>
<p>At the top, the net draped over a log that she quickly straddled and jumped from. When her feet hit the ground, the girl tucked and rolled forward to absorb the impact. She looked behind to see the other three Cadets slowly climbing down the other side of net. This was another unfair fight that she was going to win.</p>
<p>With ease, she threw herself forward onto the ground and began to crawl under the barbed wire without slowing the pace. At the end, she stood up and kept running forward towards two metal pipes that ran parallel to each other. She jumped up and grabbed them with her hands before swinging her legs up so her ankles could rest on them.</p>
<p>Rangi pulled the rest of herself up and leaned forward, carefully standing up and stepping onto another log. Her booted feet gracefully walked along to the end where she jumped off and sprinted towards a solid steel wall. Right at the last second, she leaped upwards and grabbed the top and pulled herself over without a drop of sweat.</p>
<p>There were several posts in front of her that she had to zigzag through at a sprint before racing onto the next obstacle. It was a pull-up bar but instead of pull-ups, she jumped upwards once more and swung her feet forward while leaning back. Her feet were soon over her head and she did a full spinning rotation on the bar before letting go.</p>
<p>Her legs led her forward with ease. The four smaller walls in front of her were simple to vault. At the very end of the course was a rope that she climbed as if she belonged in the trees. Once her feet touched the ground again, the timer stopped.</p>
<p>With her hands resting on her knees as she panted from the exertion, she glanced over at the Master that had been timing her. He looked at her with wide eyes and then timidly faced Zhu. “Sergeant, she beat your time.”</p>
<p>He looked over with zero care in his expression. “Of course she did. She’s beaten the time cap each round.”</p>
<p>The Master refigured his words. “No, Sir, she beat the course record. The one you set.”</p>
<p>Rangi looked down at the ground and smiled out of view. She’d laugh if it were appropriate at the moment. The expression was erased from her face before looking back up at Sergeant Zhu. His face was bright red. There was a thickness to the air now that made it difficult for Rangi to breath.</p>
<p>“Get back on the course.” He pointed to the first obstacle down the row.</p>
<p>She stood up straight. “Sir, I just won the last round. Why am I going again?”</p>
<p>Within a few strides, he was standing in front of her. “Did I ask for your opinion? No! Do not disobey my orders again! First obstacle, NOW!”</p>
<p>Spit flew from the man’s mouth and landed on her face causing Rangi to flinch in minor disgust. Before more could fly at her, she jogged to the front of the course again. Sergeant Zhu was close behind her and stood just paces away now.</p>
<p>“If you can beat my record, then you obviously need more of a challenge. How about I personally give you one. Go!” Without any hesitation, he shot a stream of fire towards her feet.</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes grew in surprise as she took off running to avoid the fire. Through the course, he threw fireballs and streams at her and she was forced to dodge them all while continuing her progression forward.</p>
<p>Avoiding the attacks was easy until the last obstacle. As she was scrambling up the tall rope, Sergeant Zhu sent two fireballs at her. Rangi ducked her head in just enough time for one to miss her. The other hit the rope just a few feet above her and was quickly burning through the tinsels.</p>
<p>Before it snapped, she made a daring jump to the next rope several feet from hers. Her hands gripped it tightly as she slid down a little before she was able get the rope wrapped with her feet. Heat from the friction of sliding covered her hands and she groaned to herself at the stinging.</p>
<p>Her hesitation gave Zhu too much time and he shot more fire at her current rope in order to cause the same problem. Rangi looked up to see the three feet of rope above her already burning quickly. She wasn’t going to let him win this easily.</p>
<p>The girl looked to her left. Nothing. She looked to her right and saw the middle beam of the rig. Carefully, she swung her rope a little until she was able to get her legs around the wooden log enough to cross her ankles and lock her on.</p>
<p>Then, Rangi wrapped her arms around the log like her legs. A collective gasp was heard through the group of Cadets below. At this moment, Rangi was really happy that she had a small growth spurt over the past few months. This would have been difficult if she was still short.</p>
<p>She noticed that Sergeant Zhu had quit firing at her. Her eyes glanced over to him to see him grinning. “You’re still not finished. Go on!”</p>
<p>The Cadet looked up to see ten feet between her and the top. She looked down at herself and saw the burned off rope between her and the pole. Her mind quickly thought about the next steps.</p>
<p>She took a deep breath and thought about the fact that if she failed at her next step, there was a painful ten foot fall below her. With the fear acknowledged, she continued by tightening her leg grip. Her thighs squeezed the log as tight as possible while her ankles seized together.</p>
<p>Letting go with her right hand, she began pulling on the rope until it was loose. She pressed herself into the log and slung one end of the rope around until it draped over her left arm. Carefully, her left hand moved onto the rope and she slowly leaned back until it was taught in her hold.</p>
<p>The first part was over with and she took a breath of relief. It was only going to get tougher from here. She moved the rope up the log and began pulling herself up, but instead of keeping her legs crossed, she slowly let the soles of her boots grip onto the pole.</p>
<p>She moved the rope up a little more so she could move her feet in front of her, causing her to lean back even more until she counterbalanced herself. A surge of pride and adrenaline raced through her veins.</p>
<p>Rangi grinned and moved the rope up more and took two steps before moving the rope once again. She slipped a little on one step but caught herself. Before she knew it, she was grabbing the top of the rig and vaulting her leg up and over so she could sit on the top.</p>
<p>A loud cheering came from her fellow Cadets and she couldn’t help but smile. Even the Masters were clapping as Zhu nodded his head in approval.</p>
<p>She looked around. The view and breeze at the top was worth the struggle. She could see the ocean with the grasslands between. Behind her was the military base and she could see all of the buildings and training fields.</p>
<p>Without being told, Rangi began her descent down and when her boots touched ground, the other Cadets were waiting there to give her pats on the back and compliments. She blushed a little, not used to such positive attention. Her roommates surrounded her with giddy excitement and she couldn’t help but smile again.</p>
<p>“Cadets, attention!”</p>
<p>They all snapped out of their jubilation and stood sharp in silence. Sergeant Zhu stood there with his hands behind his back as he looked over the group. “Thanks to your fellow Cadet’s strong resolve, I would say that she has earned you an early lunch. Line up!”</p>
<p>As everyone scattered to line up in their Company formations, they softly elbowed Rangi as a thank you. She looked down at her feet and felt overwhelmed from the camaraderie.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>
  <em>“Ready or not, here I come!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rangi giggled silently to herself as she hid behind a large rock. The anticipation was killing her. She poked her head around to see Sung looking for her hidden friends.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hey! I see you!” Sung came running towards her and with a yelp, Rangi took off running in a wide arc to make it back to home base without getting tagged. She looked behind to see her friend close on her heels.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A large force slammed into her and she was suddenly laying on her back with a shadow hovering overhead. Rangi groaned and rubbed the growing bump on the back of her head. Her eyes opened to see another kid standing there. “Hey! Get out of my way!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Get out of your way? You ran into me!” The older girl leaned down towards her. “Do it again and I’ll teach you a lesson!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Tears welled up in Rangi’s eyes as she looked up at the bully. She wanted to get up and run away. She wanted to run all the way home and be safe in her room. As she processed what was happening, her fear switched to anger. Her hands squeezed into fists and before she could stop herself, she sucker punched the older girl in the face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>All the other children on the playground stopped and looked at what was surely about to become a brawl. The older girl growled in anger and reached down, grabbing Rangi by her shirt collar.</em>
</p>
<p><em>She wound her fist behind her head and went to punch Rangi back, but Rangi</em> <em>saw the shot coming from far away. She deflected it and punched the older girl once again, this time square in the nose.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Weight was pulled off of Her as several teachers intervened. They dragged her to her feet and proceeded to pull her swiftly into the building and down the hall to her mother’s office.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>**********</em>
</p>
<p>“Next!”</p>
<p>Rangi snapped herself out of staring blankly at the wall and stood up to walk into Sergeant Zhu’s office. The door was shut behind her by one of the Masters as she stepped forward and took her spot in front of his desk. Zhu sat tall in his chair as he looked down at the scrolls of paperwork in front of him. His office walls were covered with flags and memorabilia. Some bookshelves were overflowing with well-used books.</p>
<p>“Rangi. Hei-Ran’s daughter. You know, your mother and I were once Cadets together. And you are a spitting image of her. Both in looks and personality. She was quite the spitfire.” He finally looked up at her and smiled. “If you keep pushing forward with the same determination and grit that you have shown the past two days, you will do great things with the Fire Nation Army.”</p>
<p>Rangi bowed her head and spoke in a soft tone. “Thank you, Sergeant.”</p>
<p>“Don’t get complacent though. It’s easy to fall into a rut and tough to get out. You passed the fitness test with flying colors. You broke my record on the obstacle course. You even managed some advanced maneuvering when I raised the stakes. Also, you got a perfect score on the aptitude test. That means you can focus on any specialty path in the Army.”</p>
<p>“What would you recommend, Sergeant?”</p>
<p>A large smile spread across his face. “I’m glad you asked. You would be good anywhere, but I think you would excel best in what we call S.E.R.E, or Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape. We could always use more specialists under that training and it is a wonderful path to fast track your way through the ranks here. What do you think?”</p>
<p>The girl grinned at the thought. “That sounds like the perfect path for me, Sir.”</p>
<p>“Then that is what I will put down for you. Your standard classes will start after this week. Simple military and history classes. Nothing difficult. After three months of standard training, you will proceed to specialty training.” Sergeant Zhu filled out a few sheets of paper and had her sign off on them.</p>
<p>He put them aside neatly and placed his hands on the desk. “So, I can’t help but ask, how did you manage to explode a cooler?”</p>
<p>Rangi’s face turned bright red. She was hoping to avoid this conversation altogether. “I would prefer not to answer that, Sir. I’m wanting to focus on my tasks here, now.”</p>
<p>“I can respect that, but I expect an explanation eventually. Not even our high stake prisoners have been able to produce fire that strong when confined to a cooler.” The man leaned forward. “I’d like to know for SERE purposes.”</p>
<p>He chuckled and winked. “Let’s move on. Let me introduce your Master.” Zhu motioned for someone else to step forward. “This is Ari. She is a third year Cadet. One of my star students. I assigned her especially to you because she will push you even further and her knowledge of our systems is impeccable.”</p>
<p>A girl only two years older stepped into view. Though she had a smile on her face, Rangi could tell she was not to be tested. Her golden eyes were bright against her smooth, pale skin. Her dark brown hair tied back perfectly, not a single piece attempting to move from its place.</p>
<p>What Rangi admired most was the armor. Her eyes gazed across the onyx pieces lined with golden trim. Each section perfectly laid over the other. The arm bracers seemed like second skin to the red colored uniform underneath.</p>
<p>Rangi bowed deeply to the more senior Cadet.</p>
<p>Ari bowed her head in acceptance. “I’m here to help you through your first year. Even with your drive, it will get difficult at some points and I’m here to coach you through those.</p>
<p>“Also, you will assist me in any needs that I have, such as cleaning my armor and other expected chores. Understand?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Master Ari.”</p>
<p>Ari turned to Zhu. “Are we fit to leave?”</p>
<p>He simply smiled and ushered a hand towards the door. “Good luck, Rangi. I look forward to whatever else you may have up your sleeves.”</p>
<p>“And I look forward to what you have in store for me, Sergeant.” She let a smirk flash on her face for a moment before returning to a stone solid stare.</p>
<p>Sergeant Zhu laughed at the exchange. “Dismissed, both of you.”</p>
<p>Both Ari and Rangi bowed and the new Cadet followed behind the senior. They walked in silence out of the office building and down the road to the barracks. Rangi examined how the girl in front of her walked quietly and began to mimic her strides. She was already good at silent stepping but this method worked better. Her heel touched the ground first and she rolled it forward onto her toes as her weight shifted more to the outside edge of her arches.</p>
<p>Rangi’s attention must have been hyper focused because when she looked up, they were already entering the barracks. The girl in front of her could have walked them into a lake and Rangi wouldn’t have noticed until it was too late. Ari took a turn to the left through the courtyard. She continued forward and straight to her quarters on the first floor. A set of keys jangled while Ari unlocked the door, walking inside first then inviting Rangi in as well.</p>
<p>Ari closed the door and then took a deep breath while sighing loudly. “I hate being so stone faced all the time!” She slapped Rangi on the back and chuckled as she walked by. “Ease up, you don’t need to be at attention while in my quarters.”</p>
<p>The girl relaxed her shoulders a little but looked at her Master in confusion. Ari put her hands on her hips while facing Rangi from a few feet away. “So, Hei-Ran is your mother? That’s quite the bloodline you have there.”</p>
<p>“It comes with its burdens.” Rangi quietly snapped back.</p>
<p>Ari raised her eyebrows. “No need to freak out.”</p>
<p>“I’m not. I just don’t like talking about my family, especially to people I just met.” Rangi’s eyes narrowed in defense.</p>
<p>“I’m not asking you to, but let me give you some advice: every family has its own burdens. Yours are certainly not new to the world. I’m-“</p>
<p>Rangi began to interject but Ari quickly cut her off. “No, do not interrupt when I’m trying to talk.” She looked the Cadet in the eyes, all of the happy-go-lucky personality gone within a split second.</p>
<p>“I’m going to warn you now: no one here cares how many people your mother has killed, no one cares that you are of noble blood, no one cares about the things your sensitive about. The only things that matter is if you are trustworthy, obedient, and willing to die for your team and Nation. Got it?”</p>
<p>Rangi swallowed back the words she actually wanted to say. “Yes, Master.”</p>
<p>“Great!” A large smile returned to Ari’s face. “Now, let’s go over your class schedule and figure out where we can fit in extra training and study time. Every hour of your day should be filled.”</p>
<p>They sat down at the desk and Rangi couldn’t tell how she felt about Ari. Her ability to switch faces so quickly concerned her a little but then again, was it any different than her mother or Sergeant Zhu? Maybe it was just the way of Army personnel. Or maybe Ari was toying with her.</p>
<p>As for herself, Rangi mostly kept a straight face at all times to prevent anyone from getting too close. She didn’t want people to approach her and she didn’t want to acknowledge anyone unless they had something she needed. Whatever they said out of her presence was their assumptions and she genuinely did not care. Her sole mission was to serve the Fire Nation and no one was going to come between her and her goals.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>
  <em>“Rangi.” Hei-Ran stared at her daughter from across her desk. “Why?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The eight year old sulked in the chair, her hands pressed underneath her legs. “I-I-I was playing hide and seek with Sung and-and- when I was running, I looked behind me and then I ran into that girl and she was mean.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Her mother rubbed her temples with both hands now. She closed her eyes to comprehend what the eight year old child was saying. “So, you punched her?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rangi slowly shook her head in agreement to the question while sniffling. “I didn’t mean to, I promise!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There was a moment of silence between the two of them as Hei-Ran continued to shake her head. “You’re lucky you get amazing grades or else you’d be in big trouble when we get home. But, it’s your first fight so I’m going to give you a warning this time. Now, Rangi, you’re going to have to learn to control yourself a little better. Just because someone upsets you, that doesn’t mean you can hit them. And when you get older, it’s no longer punching but playing with Fire. You don’t want to get yourself into an Agni Kai in the school yard, understand?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The little girl shook her head in agreement again. “Yes, Headmistress.” Her mother made sure her daughter knew that when they were at the Academy, she was to be acknowledged as her title there.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Very well. I’ll see you after class. Don’t get into any more trouble, okay? We will talk more when we get home.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rangi slid out of her chair and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” She sulked out of the room knowing that she very much disappointed her mother.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Run For Your Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a long week of constant physical testing, marching, chores, punishments, late nights and early wake up calls, Rangi and her bunkmates sat on their beds and talked before bedtime.</p><p>Duri began asking a question through a fit of giggles “Remember when Rangi beat Sergeant Zhu’s time? His face was so red!”</p><p>They all laughed together. Ji looked over at Rangi. “What was it like when he was shooting fire at you?”</p><p>The girl shrugged with an amused smirk. “I don’t know. It was kind of fun!”<br/>Hana moved to the edge of her bunk, the dimples on her cheeks prominent from her excited smile. “You’re so fast! You ran across the beams like they were solid ground.”</p><p>Rangi began to blush a little and looked down at her feet to hide her face. All of the compliments were overwhelming. She was used to being either unacknowledged, avoided, or taunted back at the Academy.</p><p>Hana crossed her legs as she sat back on her bunk a little. “So, other than all of this, what else do you like doing?”</p><p>Rangi bit the side of her cheek and thought. “Um, I like reading... and...” It was now that she realized how focused her life had been on training and academics. Every friend she had previous to this point had left her so she didn’t have much of a choice other than to focus in on her future as a soldier. It didn’t bother her, but it was strange to acknowledge for the first time.</p><p>She stood up and began getting into bed, pulling the covers back. “I’m going to head to sleep. You three can keep talking though.”</p><p>The three other girls looked each other and shrugged. “Now that you mention it, it’s actually time for lights out. Good night everyone!” Dari blew out the oil lamps in the room and everything went silent as they all went to their respective bunks.</p><p>Rangi pulled her sheet and blanket up to her neck and then gripped some of the fabric in her hands. She held it close to her chest and exhaled.</p><p>**********</p><p>
  <em>“Sung!” Rangi ran up to her friend. “Guess what! My mom said you can stay over this weekend. Sung?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her friend ignored her and kept on walking. Rangi stayed with her and cut her off after a few strides. Sung wouldn’t even look up from staring at the ground.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What? Komodo rhino got your tongue?” Rangi stoked the conversation a little more. Sung finally looked up. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. “Who made you cry? I’ll take care of them. No one hurts my friend!” Rangi began scoping out the front schoolyard for any culprits, her fists ready.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“My parents said we can’t be friends anymore.” The words came out in-between little efforts to keep tears choked back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi was confused. “Why?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Because they found out about you hitting that girl and they say that you’re just like your mom and you’re going to kill people like she did.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now there was a lot of confusion. Rangi blinked and looked around before lowing her voice. “What? My mom hasn’t killed anyone.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sung shrugged sheepishly. “That’s what my parents said. They said they saw some of the Agni Kais. They said if they see me with you, that I’m in big trouble. I’m sorry, Rangi.” Her friend gave her one last look in the eyes before hurrying away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl stood there, alone. She didn’t understand what Sung just told her. What did she mean? Sure, her mother was strict but that didn’t mean she killed people.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi turned around towards the front of the school and saw her mom standing there at the top of the steps, watching students arrive for class. She waved for Rangi to come inside but the girl couldn’t move her feet. Instead, her eyes just stared at Hei-Ran.</em>
</p><p><em>If she did kill people, how many did she kill? Maybe they were attacking her. What if her mom was saving someo</em>ne <em>from those people? Sung had mentioned Agni Kai though, which means she would have been fighting only one other person.</em></p><p>
  <em>Rangi’s heart raced and she began to panic. She hadn’t known any of this. If it was during an Agni Kai, that means she purposely killed her opponent. This explained why she had never been allowed to attend one. Her brain was working swiftly to piece everything together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Rangi, come inside! It’s going to start storming.” Her mother called out and continued motioning for her to come in. “Rangi. Rangi? Rangi!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl had dropped her books and took off running in the opposite direction. She heard her mom’s yelling fade away as her little legs carried her as far as they could go. As she sprinted down the road, she could feel the air hitting the tears on her face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It began to sprinkle as she made it down the hill and to the beach. She went to a small group of palm trees and shrubs and crawled underneath them, eventually sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her face burrowed into her arms as she wrapped them about her knees.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She began to cry.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Rangi?” Hei-Ran’s voice called out through the light tapping of rain on the ground.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little girl did her best to sink into the trees and bushes, not wanting to be seen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Rangi? Rangi!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She watched as her mother jogged over to her. The woman kneeled down. “What has got into you? You can’t just run away like that!” She reached in to grab her daughter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi yelled out and moved further away. “No! Don’t touch me!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hei-Ran shrunk back a little in shock. “Rangi! Come here.” She advanced again to grab her daughter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi screamed and shielded her face with one arm while shooting a small fireball at her mother with the other. Hei-Ran easily extinguished it with a wave of her hand. “You get out here now! And if you throw fire at me again-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little girl started scrambling away. “No! No! You’re going to kill me like you did everyone else!” Tears continued to stream down her face. “You’re going to kill me for being bad.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother whispered the words her daughter just said back to herself. “What do you mean? I’m not going to kill you, you’re my daughter.” The tone of her voice was lower but still sharp.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Sung said that she can’t be my friend anymore because her parents saw you kill someone during an Agni Kai.” Rangi glared at her mother, wishing she would just leave her alone to sit in the bushes for the rest of her life.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hei-Ran’s face went pale with realization. She attempted to softly approach the girl. “Rangi-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No! I don’t have any friends because of you! It’s all your fault and I hate you!” She crawled out of the other side of the bushes. The ribbon holding her bun up got stuck and her hair was now loose around her face. There was too much going on for her to notice though. The girl took off running again but her mom caught her by the wrist this time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Rangi!” Hei-Ran pulled her daughter back and proceeded to get pummeled by Rangi’s small fists.</em>
</p><p>Her daughter screamed. “<em>Let me go!”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Rangi, stop. Let me explain. Stop.” The woman wrapped her arms tightly around the little girl so she could no longer fight. She continued to try and push away though. She definitely had the fighter’s spirit. “Calm down. Will you just let me explain?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rangi finally gave up, sank into her mother, and began to sob. Hei-Ran sat back onto the sand and pulled Rangi onto her lap. Tears welled up in her eyes as she listened to her child cry out. All she could do was keep holding her close and rock back and forth a little in hopes to sooth Rangi. It had only been a matter of time before the conversation had to happen.</em>
</p><p>**********</p><p>Rangi and Ari practiced kata forms the next day with each other, with Ari criticizing her every move. Unsurprisingly to Rangi though, Ari not only didn’t know how to teach but she didn’t know what she was doing either.</p><p>“No, you want the foot to be pointed up.”</p><p>“No, you want the foot firmly on the ground to produce more power.” Rangi showed a proper side lunge position.</p><p>Ari rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m the Master Cadet, I think I know what I’m talking about.”</p><p>Rangi stood up tall and looked at the other girl is disbelief. “And my mother is the woman who trains the Fire Nation royal family. And she was a high ranking officer for the Army. She taught me. I think I know what I’m doing!”</p><p>Fire ignited over Ari’s right fist. “I don’t care. You will listen to how I teach.”</p><p>“I’m not going to do something when I know it’s wrong!” Rangi snapped back.</p><p>“Then pay the price of disobedience.” Ari took a big step forward and produced a fire whip from her right hand and sent it hurdling towards her student. Rangi deftly jumped backwards and pushed her palms forward to create a fire shield from both hands to block the attack.</p><p>And just like timing would have it, Sergeant Zhu had happened to walk in. “No bending allowed your first week! You should know better than that! I didn’t think I’d have to repeat my words to you.” The scorn on his face made Rangi sink back into her heels.</p><p>Rangi gestured a hand towards Ari. “She was threatening me with fire-“</p><p>“I didn’t ask for your synopsis! You broke a rule. 100 pushups, 100 squats, right now. And extra detailing chores too!” He pointed to the ground. “Now!”</p><p>Rangi did her best to not twist her face in anger. She kneeled down and planted her hands on the ground, lifted her knees, and began her punishment. Her mind became muddled as she thought about Ari’s actual intentions. It was beginning to affect the fire inside of her. It felt dark and dampened.</p><p>After a hundred pushups, she silently stood up and went straight into her squats. Her stare never left Ari’s face as the girl simply grinned back at her. She finished and Sergeant Zhu left them, giving one last warning.</p><p>Once he was out of earshot, Rangi pointed an accusing finger at the Master Cadet. Her words fell through her gritted teeth. “You set me up!”</p><p>Ari smiled and shrugged. “I have been Sergeant Zhu’s star pupil for two years now. I’m not going to let you come in and ruin that for me.”</p><p>Anger pulsed through Rangi’s veins. She clinched her fists as she visualized hitting Ari off the face of the planet. The air through her nose felt hot as she tried to rein her emotions back in.</p><p>“Oh, calm down. We wouldn’t want Zhu to see you bending again and kick you out of Junior Corps, now would we? Your mother would be so disappointed and your honor broken.” Ari placed her right hand over her heart and frowned as she patronized her student. “Oh, you poor thing.”</p><p>Rangi turned around to walk away from the growing conflict but Ari snapped at her. “I didn’t give you orders to leave, Cadet.”</p><p>She stopped dead in her tracks and turned on her heels to face Ari. “As much as you want me to be, I’m not scared of you. I will never be scared of you. If anything, you should be scared of me!” Rangi pointed to herself as she leaned forward, raising her voice to where it echoed through the practice hall.</p><p>“Hah!” Ari laughed. “Scared of a twelve year old? That just made my day.”</p><p>Rangi stood her ground. “You’re only two years older than me and yet you are more than two years behind me in skill level. I’m not taking orders from you any longer!”</p><p>“Well then, I guess I will go to Zhu and tell him that you’re AWOL.“ Ari crossed her arms as she stared nonchalantly at Rangi. “Now, if you don’t want that to happen, I suggest you bow to me in order to show your deep remorse for disrespecting a senior Cadet.”</p><p>Rangi swallowed her pride a little and bowed, but Ari pushed down on her back between the shoulder blades. “No. A real bow. A bow of submission and respect.” Against her will, Rangi slowly got on her knees and bowed deeply to Ari. Her hands were stretched in front of her with her palms on the ground. “Doesn’t it feel better to obey your superiors? In the end, we are all happy when that happens.”</p><p>Rangi shook in anger. Her eyes glared deep into the sand as she thought of different ways to rid Ari from her life. She believed deeply in obedience and respecting her superiors, but Ari was not a superior anymore. She was a nuisance and a bully. Rangi could not let herself take anymore pain from this thorn in her side.</p><p>**********</p><p>“I cannot change assignments once they have been made.” Sergeant Zhu stood up and put his hands behind his back. He looked over towards the corner of room and motioned for Rangi to join him. They approached a large Pai Sho table and the Sergeant took a seat on a cushion. Rangi sat across from him once he motioned for her to sit.</p><p>Silently, the man gathered tiles and handed her a silk bag. “Do you know how to play?”</p><p>She took the bag and placed it in her lap and took out five pieces to keep in her hand. “Yes, a little.”</p><p>“You can go first then. Five pairs.” His smile was inviting and she wondered why he was being so welcoming towards her as a Cadet.</p><p>Rangi placed a piece in her gate to begin the game. For several minutes, they sat in silence. Excitement started building in her when she realized that she was ahead of him on the score. Then, Zhu placed down a specialty rock tile and caused all of her harmonies to become neutralized. She clinched her jaw and twitched her hand.</p><p>“Don’t let your enemy see your frustration. Give them that, and they know every one of your actions before it happens.” Zhu didn’t even look up from the board as he smirked with wisdom. Within in five more moves, he had won the game.</p><p>“Let’s try this again. Five pairs.”</p><p>They reset the board and Zhu won again even quicker. Rangi sighed in irritation. “I don’t understand what you are trying to teach me by beating me at Pai Sho. And why are you giving me special treatment compared to everyone else?”</p><p>Zhu looked up at her with calmness. His eyes were bright as he acknowledged her questions. “You are very young, Rangi. And you have been through a lot in just twelve years. Hei-Ran told me your whole story. Your father, you losing your friends and getting teased, how you used to get in fights in the schoolyard, how you have nightmares. I appreciate how strong you are.</p><p>But, it doesn’t get easier. Life will get more challenging, just in different ways. Like now, you and Ari are at ends with each other. I bet that’s a lot more difficult for you than a schoolyard brawl. In order to achieve victory, you must know yourself and your enemy. If you don’t know either, you will always find yourself in defeat.”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes narrowed a little. “And what if I just know myself?”</p><p>“Then you will both win and lose. For every one, there is the other. To have the most power, you need to find yourself. You need to be confident and understand your motivations and purpose. But, you must also be at peace with yourself.</p><p>Zhu began removing his tiles from the board. “And you must know your enemy. You must know how they think and view their surroundings. And not just make assumptions, you must know their deeper purpose and motivations as well.”</p><p>“How do you get close enough to your enemy to know these things?” She began to clear her tiles as well as she thought through her mentor’s words.</p><p>“Observe in silence. Most times, you will learn more from listening and watching than talking. I was able to read you within your first two moves. In politics and often in life, you must learn to keep closed, because just as you are trying to learn your enemy, they are trying to do the same to you.”</p><p>Rangi nodded in understanding. “What about allies? Do you stay closed off to allies?”</p><p>He smiled. “If they are true allies, then trust your life in their hands as they trust theirs in yours. Your allies are part of your foundation in success. And if you ever fall in love, well, that’s another talk for another day.” He chuckled in amusement with himself.</p><p>Rangi cringed and stuck her tongue out. “Gross. I’m never going to fall in love. My life belongs to the Fire Nation!” To add emphasis, she placed her fist firmly on the table.</p><p>Sergeant Zhu now laughed which caused Rangi to frown in confusion. She thought he would be proud of the statement. “I said the same thing at your age and now I’m married to my beautiful wife and have two children. I’m sure someone special will come along that will make you question every corner of your being.”</p><p>The girl scoffed and crossed her arms in dismay. “I doubt it. Five pairs?”</p><p>Zhu chuckled and nodded. “Don’t forget that is what happened with your mother. And yes, five pairs.”</p><p>They went back to playing quietly, only the sound of tiles clicking on the marble table could be heard. Rangi worked hard to keep her face neutral and focused on the board.</p><p>Zhu broke the silence once more. “One more thing before the end of our last game: you are very driven and you carry yourself with purpose. What your purpose is, that is up to you.</p><p>“But, do know that people like us will often be faulted by those that are incompetent and jealous. There are people who want to see you succeed but not more than them. The moment you let them into your shell and they have control of your emotions, then they will have control of your life.”</p><p>Rangi took the words to heart and started thinking about her situation with Ari. She had given her too much power earlier by escalating the situation.</p><p>One pair.</p><p>From this point on, she wasn’t going to let Ari see her frustration. No, she was going to oblige her until she could carry out a plan of attack.</p><p>Two pairs.</p><p>She sighed gently and thought about it more. Ari was far from being as strong or skilled as her. She had the girl pinned on every level, but psychologically the older girl was winning and slowly bringing her down.</p><p>Three pairs.</p><p>The more she let the girl see her in distress, the worse it was going to get. And the worse it got, the more distracted Rangi would get from her positive jing. Once that was gone, her bending would be weakened significantly. A perfect time for Ari to strike.</p><p>Four pairs.</p><p>Rangi made up her mind on how she would handle Ari, but it would have to wait just a little longer.</p><p>“Much closer this time but I win again. You should get back to your studies. Are you ready for tomorrow?”</p><p>In confusion, Rangi looked around the board and realized she had lost again. Her shoulders slumped before she looked up at the man across from her. “Wait, what’s tomorrow?”</p><p>He simply grinned. “I’m glad Hei-Ran didn’t tell you. I’ll see you in the morning, Rangi. And let’s keep our talks our little secret, shall we?”</p><p>The Cadet agreed and left the office, slowly and groggily walking back to the barracks. Just as she was turning to walk up the first stairwell, a shrill voice called out her name while drawing out the end syllable.</p><p>She stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes as the hair on her neck stood at attention. Rangi turned and walked towards the direction of the annoyance. “Yes, Master Ari?”</p><p>“I need a favor from you.” Ari smiled and opened her door to invite Rangi inside. “I have a big review tomorrow and both sets of my armor need cleaning, as well as my boots. And my uniforms need to be pressed as well.”</p><p>Rangi looked over at the pile of armor that sat in a crumpled pile in the corner. Her eyes twitched at the horrifying site. Armor should be placed on a mannequin and displayed proudly, not thrown into a pile like dirty clothes. And even then, dirty clothes should be put away as well. She cringed at the site of disrespect.</p><p>She turned her attention to Ari while maintaining a level head. “Sergeant Zhu said tomorrow is a big day. I am tired and need sleep.”</p><p>“Everyday is a big day for that man. Besides, you love this kind of stuff! It will be so exhilarating that it will wake you up.” Ari stepped towards her bed and got in after stuffing out the oil lamp flame.</p><p>“I need light to clean your armor.”</p><p>“Use your inner flame,” Ari responded with sarcasm.</p><p>Rangi bit her bottom lip to keep herself from losing it. There was disrespect for the Fire Nation in every corner of the room and it made Rangi’s skin crawl. How was this girl even part of the Junior Corp, let alone a Fire Nation citizen? She snatched the cleaner and a few rags off a shelf and sat down in a chair to start cleaning.</p><p>She opened the small clay pot of conditioner and rubbed the end of the cloth in it. With a quiet sigh, she began the long process. She started with small circles and eventually covered a whole plate with the solution before wiping it off with a clean cloth.</p><p>After two hours, one full set of armor was completed and Rangi sluggishly started on another. Her eyes began to burn and eventually betrayed her as they slowly closed.</p><p>**********</p><p>Rangi snapped awake to the sound of feet stepping around outside. She looked out the window and saw people moving around. With panic and urgency, she stood up, the armor pieces in her lap flying to the floor.</p><p>Ari startled awake and before the older girl could say anything, Rangi had already ran out the door. She took the stairs two at a time and dodged around fellow cadets.</p><p>Her bunkmates all gasped as she slung the door open and continued her rampage of getting ready. “Where have you been?” Hana asked as she adjusted her shirt.</p><p>Rangi was rushing through the motions. As she removed her pants, one side got stuck on her foot and she hopped around while trying not to fall. She yanked them off and threw them onto her bed before grabbing a fresh pair. “Uh, long story. The Master I was assigned is insane and I’m pretty sure she would kill me if she had the choice and she made me stay up all night to clean her armor in the pitch black.”</p><p>She turned to see all three girls staring back at her in confusion and concern. Ji nodded. “So... how do you handle that?”</p><p>“I think I have a plan but I need to wait for this week to be over. Now, come on and get ready. If I walk with you three then she can’t kidnap me. Let’s go!” Rangi turned around and managed to be ready before the other three. They looked at her in slight confusion but eventually shrugged it off.</p><p>**********</p><p>As they arrived at the field, they were handed rucksacks and instructed to put them on and not look inside. Rangi did as instructed as she lined up in her Company formation. She looked over her right shoulder and saw her three bunkmates standing there, silently at ease.</p><p>They expressed a lot of concern for her on their walk to the field, even though she assured them that everything was going to be handled accordingly. Hana, Duri, and Ji insisted on helping but this was a personal battle. Rangi half-smiled. They were friends and allies.</p><p>Everything went still when Sergeant Zhu stepped forward. The Cadets all stood at attention and saluted him. “Today is the beginning of your final test. I can tell you right now that less than half of you will pass. If you do not pass, you will be removed from the Junior Corps program immediately.</p><p>“Your test is 50 miles over 3 days. Today is day 1. You will hike to the top of Mount Tonglo. There will be a red flag with your name on it waiting for you. Grab it and return it back to this field. There are three rules: Use only the resources given to you in your bag. No sabotaging each other. And absolutely no bending. If you can survive without it, imagine how well off you will be with it. If you break any rules, you will be disqualified and released from the Junior Corp. If you succeed and arrive back here by midday, you will be considered a full Cadet.”</p><p>Rangi suppressed a yawn and then began processing last night’s events. Ari tried to keep her awake all night on purpose. She set Rangi up again and this time, it was in hopes that she would fail the big test. Ari was genuinely sabotaging her.</p><p>Her adrenaline began to spike. There was no doubt in her mind that she was going to pass this test. She was going to be the first one to cross the line. Her eyes narrowed in determination.</p><p>The reverberations of a gong filled the air and everyone around her took off sprinting while she moved at a fast paced walk. They all looked back at her like she was crazy. She knew what this was though. Everything before this point was a sprint. They had been programmed to get tasks done quickly and efficiently. That kind of thinking would break under this final test.</p><p>This was long term endurance. And Rangi was a natural survivalist. She began to lightly jog down the path, eventually passing all the other Cadets that thought they could sprint for 50 miles. “Amateurs,” she whispered under her breath.</p><p>Within a few hours, Rangi managed to separate herself from everyone else. She didn’t make quick stops. If she needed water, she took up her canteen and kept walking.</p><p>Sweat trickled down her entire body and she could feel that her back was drenched. The sun was exceptionally hot and high in the sky, with the lack of shade not making it any easier. Loose hairs were stuck to her face.</p><p>Her eyes began to burn again from the little sleep she had got the night before. It caused her muscles to start fatiguing as well. Small cramps began running through her legs and back. Rangi lightly tapped her face to stay alert before wiping the sweat from her brow.</p><p>“Keep moving forward.” She talked aloud to herself. “Keep moving forward.” Her eyes were fixed on the path just a few feet ahead of her. She didn’t bother to look at the landscape, it was all rock and dirt with minimal foliage.</p><p>**********</p><p>As the sun started to set, so did Rangi. She found a nice patch of trees and brush to set up a small camp several paces from the main path. A sigh of relief emitted from her lips as she took off her bag and placed it on the ground. She sat on a rock and slumped over with her elbows resting on her knees.</p><p>Her stomach twisted and gnawed at itself. This was one Master she had to obey. She looked into her pack and found a long knife. Perfect. The girl found a long stick and took some string from the bag so she could fasten a spear together. She set out to find dinner.</p><p> </p><p>After a slightly overcooked meal of elephant rat, Rangi settled in by leaning against the rock she sat on earlier. She crossed her legs and placed her hands gently in her lap. Her heavy eyes closed as she began her meditation. It had been too long since the last time and she felt off balance without using the practice on a regular basis.</p><p>She was still for the first time in a few days. Nothing entered her mind as she expanded herself through the land. The warmth from the small campfire in front of her revitalized her energy inside. The soreness of her muscles subsided as she relaxed into a deeper state.</p><p>Her eyes snapped open and she found herself laying on the ground. The fire had died down, indicating that she had been asleep for at least a few hours now. Her blurry, tired eyes finally focused as she heard more rustling and twigs breaking.</p><p>Rangi reached out and grabbed the long knife before standing up into a crouching stance. Her feet softly touched the ground as she approached the source of the noise. It got louder and she braced herself.</p><p>A pheasant squirrel came darting out of the brush and scampered away. Rangi’s face dropped at the unexpected outcome and she closed her eyes and shook her head in embarrassment as she stood up straight. The girl couldn’t help but chuckle a little. She turned around to go back to sleep but stopped dead in her tracks. Her expression went wide as she inhaled sharply. A young tigerdillo stood a few paces from her. It’s haunches were raised as it showed its teeth. She looked over it’s body. The shell on its back and upper parts of its legs made it difficult to attack, if she had to make the effort. </p><p>Rangi glanced over at her rucksack and took a small step forward. The growling grew louder but she was able to lean forward and with a shaking hand, she grabbed the shoulder strap. Once she slowly put it on her back, she stood up tall. It growled again and took a step closer. She growled back as loud as she could while taking slow, easy steps backwards.</p><p>Her heart raced but her head felt perfectly clear. She was ready for whatever might happen. A few rocks were scattered at her feet and she stooped down to pick them up as she continued to move backwards. “Go on! I’m not scared! I’m a tiger too!” She roared and threw a rock at the tigerdillo. It roared back, much louder than her. It echoed through the silence of the nights They stared each other down now.</p><p>She threw her hands in the air and released the loudest, deepest roar that her lungs could produce. The tigerdillo hesitated but took a few steps forward while Rangi kept backing away. She wondered if bending was allowed at a time like this, but she remembered Zhu’s words. If she could make it through this without firebending, imagine what she could do with it.</p><p>The tigerdillo stopped approaching her after a two more steps but kept growling. Rangi kept stepping backwards until she reached the main path. Her eyes never left the beast until she made it over a hill, where she turned around and ran the fastest she ever had before.</p><p>Eventually she slowed down to a jog, but she went until her lungs hurt too much to stand it anymore. She sat down on a fallen log and struggled for air. Her arms flailed around as she shoved the bag off of her.</p><p>Adrenaline from the encounter was starting to wear off and she began shaking as a wave of fear entered her body. While she had been training since she was a very little child, it was always in a controlled environment. Never once had she come close to sparring head to head with a beast multiple times her size.</p><p>She needed to collect herself. Her hands reached for her canteen but it wasn’t there. She realized it was no longer tied to the outside of her bag. It must still be at the camp. A large sigh of frustration escaped as she gritted her teeth. Her mouth was dryer than a desert and her lips were beginning to chap.</p><p>Rangi turned and looked at the top of Mount Tonglo. She wasn’t very far. If she went now, she could make it before the midday heat set in. And by time that happened, she could find a stream for water. She just had to hold out a little longer. “Forward.”</p><p>With every muscle in her tired body aching, the girl stood up and grabbed her bag, continuing the journey.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Soldier</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay on this. I’ve been waiting for Shadow of Kyoshi to come out in order to keep everyone as close to canon as possible. </p>
<p>There are some more specific facts or names listed from this point forward, but nothing that is worth a spoiler alert. I promise!!</p>
<p>As always, I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The breeze at the top of the mountain pass was a relief. She stood there and looked over the land. The trees were specks scattered across the country land below. There were green and brown squares of fields indicating ripe crops and fresh plowing. It had been nice watching the farmers slowly move their way through the daily workload.</p>
<p>She turned and watched as the other Cadets slowly began to ascend the steep incline up the last part of the pass. It had completely zapped her remaining energy, mostly because she didn’t have any water and dehydration was beginning to set in. She did not regret stopping and sitting in the shade for an hour though. It gave her some clarity. Even though others had caught up, she would still be able to stay ahead because they would need a break at the peak as well.</p>
<p>It was time to start her hike back though. Rangi stood up and stretched, put her bag back on her shoulders, and carefully headed down the mountains. The descent wasn’t too difficult other than several unstable rocks moving and adjusting under weight, nearly causing her to topple over. A few times she slipped and had to catch her balance quickly to avoid tumbling down.</p>
<p>She was finally on firm ground and a few steps into the straight forward hike back to the training field when a bunch of rocks behind her came crushing down the mountain side. The sound of a small boulder colliding with the earth echoed through the basin. There was a scream of pain and a bunch of panicked voices. Rangi turned around to see what happened.</p>
<p>Her eyes squinted to get a better look at the incident. “Oh no.” She started jogging back up the hill without a second thought, easily scrambling the large rocks to get nearly back to the top. She yelled up to the three Cadets. “What happened?”</p>
<p>All three of the girls looked down the mountainside and had a look of relief on their faces once they saw their other bunkmate. Ji stood up and pointed down, “Hana stepped on a loose rock and twisted her ankle badly.”</p>
<p>Rangi finally reached her target and knelt down next to Hana. Her friend closed her eyes and did her best to breathe through any pain she may have been feeling. “I don’t want to remove her boot. It’s likely keeping her ankle secure right now. We need to get down from here and to somewhere more stable.”</p>
<p>Duri sat down. “We’re going to have to carry her.” She paused before placing a hand on Rangi’s shoulder. “Are you okay? You look a little pale.”</p>
<p>“I haven’t had water since last night.” Rangi rested her hands in her face and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. “I was almost attacked by a tigerdillo. Haven’t really slept either.” She looked up to see both Duri and Ji handing her their canteens.</p>
<p>She took one and threw back a few gulps of water. A sigh of relief emerged from her lips. Rangi sat in silence and slowly dipped on the water as she watched Duri and Ji trying to comfort Hana. Clearer thoughts moved back into her head. “Two goals: find a spot to camp and find a water source.”</p>
<p>Hana looked up at Rangi. “Find a spot to camp? I can’t walk!”</p>
<p>“So? You act like we haven’t been doing intensive exercise for a reason. You’re going to have to push through the pain.” Rangi stared at Hana as she motioned back towards the Army base in emphasis. “We need to start moving that way quickly though or no one is making it back in time.”</p>
<p>“I can’t put weight on my ankle or foot!”</p>
<p>“Why are you yelling at me for trying to help you?” She growled through her teeth. “Do you even want to be in the Junior Corp?”</p>
<p>Tears began to build in the corners of Hana’s eyes. “Of course I want to be in the Junior Corps! Why do you think I’m here? There’s no way I’m going to finish now though!” The other two bunkmates were leaning back as Hana was yelling by the end of her sentence. Rangi now stood there with her arms crossed.</p>
<p>The girl took a deep breath. “I’ll carry you.” They all stared at her in shock and confusion. “What? I can’t leave a fellow soldier behind.” She snapped at them, playing it off so she didn’t sound too soft and friendly.</p>
<p>Duri and Ji looked at each other and smiled in amusement at Rangi’s response. Ji placed her hands on her hips. “So, fellow soldier, how do you propose we do this then?”</p>
<p>Rangi took the pack off of her back and handed it to Duri. “You’re going to have to carry my bag. Ji, carry Hana’s bag.” She stood up and walked to Hana’s side. “And I’m going to carry you on my back.”</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>
  <em>“Happy birthday, my sweet girl!” Junsik sat down on the edge of Rangi’s bed, waking her up. A large smile spread across his face as his daughter stretched and rubbed her eyes. “The big five! My little girl is getting so old already.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She yawned and smiled. Her squeaky voice sounded in disbelief. “I’m not old!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He chuckled and lightly tapped the end of her small nose a few times. The little girl wrinkled her face and hid partially beneath the covers as she giggled. “I have a big surprise for you today that you’re going to love.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rangi sat up with gusto and wrapped her arms around her father as much as she could. “What is it?” She looked up at him, her dark bronze eyes wide in excitement and staring into his own amber eyes.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well, if you get dressed and ready, we can go.” He wrapped his arm around Rangi and rustled her hair. A large fit of laughter erupted from her as she fought to get way from the attack. She pushed on his arms and failed miserably at her escape attempt.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>When he let her go by placing her feet on the ground, she quickly flattened her hair down before running to her wardrobe to get dressed. The soft pitter-pattering of her feet could be heard as she rushed around to change into her clothes for the day.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Once she was dressed, she walked back over to her father and handed him a brush and her favorite hairpin. He smiled and took the items. “Turn around.” She did as instructed and stood patiently as Junsik carefully brushed her hair.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I like when you do my hair. Mom pulls it too much.” She took a deep breath and now sighed from boredom as she waited from her dad to finish.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Junsik let out a huff of air from his nose in amusement. “She can be a little rough and tough, can’t she?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rangi smiled. “Yes, but I love her. And I love you!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We love you too, sweetheart.” Junsik planted a small kiss on the crown of his daughter’s head. “All done!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She turned around and started bouncing up and down in excitement again. “What’s the surprise?”</em>
</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Rangi stared at the turtleducks near the small river the group stopped to camp at for the night. They made her think of home and her fifth birthday when her father took her to the market to pick out baby turtleducks for the new pond. She had picked out three and her father taught her how to raise them.</p>
<p>Often times, she used to sneak out of her room in the middle of the night to check on the little ducklings. Every moment that wasn’t spent at school or training, she was at the pond, watching them with wide eyes and a smile. Her family now had a large flock back on the island and a few at their home in Caldera City. It was a small detail in her life where she held silent pride.</p>
<p>The three pairings all waded into the water, quacking and fluttering their feathers. Their little antics made her smile. It was nice to have a happy memory come to mind, especially one with her father.</p>
<p>She missed him often. He always made her laugh and he had always taken time to include her in his day, letting her observe his daily business as a financial planner. The man was a near opposite of her mother. While he was timely, he didn’t have a daily regimen. There were always stories and jokes to be told. Sometimes, they would play pranks on Hei-Ran and both get a scolding from the woman. He would turn to Rangi and just wink with a grin before apologizing profusely to his wife, her mother.</p>
<p>It took losing him five years ago to make her realize and appreciate the amount of love he had given her through her childhood. Some days were tougher than others because while her mother loved her as well, it wasn’t the same warm and comfort. Whenever Rangi had been hurt while playing or whenever she had a bad day, her father was there to cradle her back to feeling better. The affection was deeply missed.</p>
<p>A year past her father’s death, her mother commented to Rangi about how she was just like her father and if she ever wanted to be a solider or to be useful to he Sei’naka clan, she would have to change her habits. Rangi tried. She tried to not daydream or be kind to everyone. She tried to suppress the influence her father had on her but soon, the girl simply became good at holding it in and putting on a front.</p>
<p>Learning the skill had worked out for the better. Back at the Academy, she had been bullied for being the daughter of Hei-Ran. The woman with the highest number of “accidental” kills in Agni Kai history and whom was the Headmistress at the Academy. Once the fact was out that she was Hei-Ran’s daughter and part of the Sei’naka clan, a black mark was placed on Rangi for years to come.</p>
<p>Her only option had been to focus solely on schoolwork and training. She always had perfect grades, was top of her class, and was now on her way to becoming top cadet in the Junior Corp. It was a tarnished pride, but it was pride nonetheless, and it was much better than dishonoring her family by being a failure due to inability to handle criticism.</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes flicked downward towards the water. Two of the turtleducks floated over to her and she looked around in hopes to find something to feed them. There was a berry bush within arms reach behind her so she leaned back and grabbed a small bushel. She placed the little round berries in her palm and reached out to the visitors. Hesitantly, they approached and eventually took the offering from her before swiftly swimming away.</p>
<p>Rangi smiled and pulled her legs in, crossing them in order to meditate. Her hands rested in her lap, right on top of left with palms facing up. Her thumbs arched upwards and touched. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she exhaled. A breeze tickled the back of her neck and rustled nearby bushes as she focused on the pace of her breathing. The little body of water in front of her trickled along the shoreline and the sound filled her thoughts.</p>
<p>This was the lightest she had felt in a long time. Her mind was as clear as ever. She was within reach of her goals of becoming a soldier and eventually a commanding officer. She was close to falling in line with her family’s prestigious military bloodline. Everything was beginning to finally point in the right direction. The energy within was stronger than it had ever been. She felt deep seated fulfillment coursing through her veins.</p>
<p>She opened her eyes and realized that she had meditating for longer than she thought. It had turned dark outside. It was time to get back to camp after spending some time alone with her thoughts. Muscles groaned and pulled as she stood up and began walking back to camp. Her shoulders and spine had taken a beating through the day, having carried Hana several miles with hardly any breaks to spare.</p>
<p>As she returned to camp, she noticed that Duri was still awake while the other two slept. Her friend smile at her. “Welcome back. Get some rest. I’ve got first watch.”</p>
<p>Rangi nodded and slowly laid down on her bedroll, taking it easy as her muscles began to tighten up. It had been a long time since she has been this sore. Immediately, the thought of the punishment Hei-Ran had given her after Rangi had mouthed off during a training session was the sorest she had ever been. She laid on her side and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders while shuddering at the memory.</p>
<p>Just as she was beginning to fall asleep, Duri spoke again. “I know we have only known each other for a week but you have to be one of the most intense and loyal people I’ve ever met. Thank you for coming back for us and getting Hana to the base.“</p>
<p>Rangi sat up a little and looked over her shoulder. “It’s my job to help fellow soldiers in need.” She laid back down and stared at the ground and grass in front of her. A small smile ran across her face. No one needed to know about that though.</p>
<p>The smile soon faded as her half-asleep mind began wandering to the depths of her subconscious. Two strenuous days with very little sleep became a recipe for strange dreams.</p>
<p>*********</p>
<p>
  <em>Rangi’s eyes shot open. Pure darkness surrounded her body, as if she was stuck within a void. She was becoming delusional from exhaustion. For a moment, the girl did her best to keep her eyes open but the need for sleep became more and more powerful. But, when she closed her eyes, she seemed to move forward into a new space.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The world spun and soon she found herself to be sitting on top of it, looking down at the Nations as if viewing a map. The lands vibrated underneath her before she began to plummet towards the surface. She tried to scream but found that she was mute.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As she fell towards the Earth Kingdom, she saw a woman walking along a path. Just before she hit the ground, a gust of wind caught her and laid her down. The woman on the path was blurred, with no lines or details, as if she was a ghost. Her eyes glowed with anger, maybe? Sadness? Rangi slowly walked towards her with caution but found herself falling again, this time between the cracks of the earth and heading towards lava.</em>
</p>
<p>Her fingers scrapped at the earthen walls around her. The skin of her hands tore and blood began to rush down them, covering her forearms. Dirt caved in on her and she started choking. She wanted to scream but only a collection of foreign voices filled the air.</p>
<p>Rangi snapped awake and patted the ground around her. It was solid. She looked up to see stars littering the sky and the crescent moon barely giving off any extra light. Sweat collected on her brow and she wiped it off as she recovered from her nightmare. Her heart was racing as she inhaled as deep as she could before releasing the air back out. The horrid dream was an obvious sign that she needed sleep or else she wasn’t going to make it through the final day of the ordeal.</p>
<p>Rangi lay back down on the ground and sighed as she stared up at the stars. She was ready for this to be over with so she could get to specialty training. One day she would be in full command of the Fire Nation Army. She could feel it. There was never a doubt in her mind on how far she would go. Nothing was ever going to stop her from achieving her goals.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>That next morning, all four girls talked and laughed over a small breakfast before packing up for the final trek back to base. They were all exhausted from the extra weight they were having to handle. Four packs between two people and Rangi carrying someone slowed them down and decreased their energy quicker than they expected.</p>
<p>Rangi’s legs and back burned more and more with each step so she did what she could to ignore the pain. She kept her eyes focused on the road ahead, not breaking the focus. None of them talked. It felt as if there was not enough air for anything besides breathing.</p>
<p>Until Rangi looked up to see where the sun sat in the sky. She slowly did the math to determine their distance versus time remaining. Her eyes went wide in shock and adrenaline rushed through her body. Despite the pain, her legs moved into a fast jog. “We don’t have much time left! We need to hurry!” She did not want to know what would happen if she failed the ordeal and was removed from the Junior Corp. Her mother would complete lose it.</p>
<p>They ran on and off for two miles before they finally approached the entrance of the field where every other cadet was already waiting for them. Rangi looked down at her feet and bit her lip. She was supposed to be the first one back, now she was dead last.</p>
<p>Two officers came running over to her and helped carry Hana over towards the medic. Upon removal of the weight, Rangi collapsed onto her knees. Her legs were completely burnt out. Breathing was difficult as her lungs burned from the exertion.</p>
<p>As she stared at the ground, two pairs of boots came into view. She knew exactly who stood there as she had polished those shoes repeatedly already. Then, an annoying and squeaky voice filled the air above her. “Are you dying? Because I need you to redo the polishing on my armor. You left a giant face print on my shoulder plate. Do they not teach Sei’naka folk to clean armor properly? Or how to respect someone else’s property?”</p>
<p>Rangi’s mind went berserk. She had just spent three days with very little to keep her alive. Exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration tore through every muscle in her body. Her topknot was sulking from all of the running and loose hairs stuck to the sweat in her face and neck. And now her people were being insulted by a bratty cadet. She was not in a place to be thinking correctly or making decisions.</p>
<p>She had dealt with enough over the years. Ari reminded her too much of Koulin from the Academy. At least Ari had the audacity to directly poke the platypus bear. Koulin had hid behind her minions for years in order to avoid any direct conflict or repercussion. This moment was the last straw though.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran’s daughter sat back onto her heels and gently pushed away the loose hair that stuck to her face. She looked up at her antagonizer with a straight-lipped stare. “I challenge you to an Agni Kai.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As mentioned in “Notion,” I tend to pick very specific songs for chapters and one shots. It helps to set the tone I’m trying to convey.</p>
<p>This chapter:<br/>Soldier by Fleurie</p>
<p>“Soldier keep on marchin' on<br/>Head down 'til the work is done<br/>Waiting on that morning sun<br/>Soldier keep on marchin' on“</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Don’t Get In My Way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As mentioned in Chapter 4, there are more specific people, places, and things in this chapter due to Shadow of Kyoshi but it is nothing spoiler worthy or that will ruin any aspects of the book.</p><p>And as always... enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Deep breaths. Rangi took deep breaths as she watched the opponent in front of her warm up. It looked ridiculous and overplayed. Ari lunged left and right repeatedly, throwing in a few hot squats here and there. Then, to end it all, she jumped and brought her knees up high, slapping them with her hands. Ari then walked in a few circles while rolling her shoulders and neck.</p><p>She moved her attention to the stands and saw all of the cadets sitting there, anxious and pointing over towards her as they talked. There were other people from around the base as well. They were probably interested in seeing what happens when a First Week Cadet challenges a Master Cadet to a fight. And then there was Sergeant Zhu, sitting in a large chair at the front and center of the crowd. The man glared directly at her.</p><p>Rangi stood there, exhausted. She could feel the bags under her eyes beginning to become heavy. Her back felt as if a Komodo rhino herd had trampled over her. The muscles in her legs were filled with lactic acid. What had possessed her to think an Agni Kai on this day was a good idea?</p><p>The best part of this new ordeal was that she was able to change clothes. She was now in a white sleeveless tunic tucked into a pair of the blood red military pants. They were more comfortable and less starchy than the cadet uniform. The ends of the pants hugged her calves to allow her eventual leg bracers to be easily pulled on.</p><p>Ari wore the same thing. Neither of them wore shoes and they both had thin arm bands at the top of their biceps as well, per tradition of the Agni Kai. Rangi took a few more deep breaths as she stretched her arms and rolled her neck. When she was ready, the girl turned around to face away from Ari and kneeled down onto her left knee. Her right arm rested on her right leg as the fist of her left hand rested in the sand.</p><p>She thought about her mother. Had Sergeant Zhu summoned Hei-Ran to the base to watch her daughter fight her first Agni Kai? Did her mom feel this scared before her first duel? Rangi’s heart began to race. This was more than the one fist fight she got into at the Academy years ago. This was about her honor and if she lost... Rangi shook her head and changed her thoughts.</p><p>There was no losing. Her mother wouldn’t have been scared. Everything the woman did was smothered in purpose and therefore, so was everything that Rangi did. Preparedness ruled the day. She was prepared. From an early age, Rangi had mastered firebending and learned everything she could about combat, strategy, and more. Her heart was already pumping the blood and fire she needed to win.</p><p>Inhale.</p><p>Exhale.</p><p>Breathe.</p><p>Clear mind, clear heart.</p><p>At the strike of a bell, both girls turned around and struck. Rangi stepped her right foot back as both of her hands arched downwards from over her head and to her chest before she propelled them forward, shooting two large fire balls towards Ari. The other girl blocked them with two punches.</p><p>Before she had time to react, Rangi sent three more punches towards her foe. Between each punch, she step forward and slammed her foot into the ground, also sending small streams of fire. By doing this, she had pushed Ari into a defensive stance ready.</p><p>Rangi jumped into the air and kicked a smaller but quick ball of fire towards the girl. Once her foot touched the ground, she continued turning and swung her other leg around, forcing out a large fire ball from the gained momentum.</p><p>Her opponent stumbled backwards at the onslaught but was quick to recover. Rangi began to gauge just how strong her opponent was at firebending. She bobbed and weaved, deflecting a few well-powered hits that flew towards her. Ari had brute strength but her technique was sloppy. It was easy to defend Ari’s attempts in off-balancing. It felt like the times where Hei-Ran had some of the guards on their home island duel Rangi when she was younger. This would have been absolute child's play if it wasn't for Rangi already being so worn down from the previous days. </p><p>Ari sent a hit towards Rangi and the girl sunk down into the splits to avoid the impact. She swung the leg that went behind her around and leaned back, spinning her body like a top in order to get back up. The movement sent a large current of flames outwards.</p><p>The other Firebender was barely able to defend herself and as soon as Rangi was on her feet, she took three large steps forward before leaping into the air. As she apexed, she lifted her left arm above her head and when she landed with her right foot forward, she sent her left arm chopping downwards.</p><p>A large whip of bright yellow fire followed her arm through the air and unraveled once her hand touched the ground. The force pushed her loose hairs waving backwards and she watched as the long trail of fire snapped across the arena, impacting with Ari. It threw the girl off her feet and sent her tumbling backwards for several rolls.</p><p>There was a hush among the crowd as Rangi stood up and walked over to her opponent with caution. Ari was unmoving as she approached. She stood above the sprawled body, with both fists ready to strike, and pushed her toes against the girl’s shoulder. “Are you done with trying to ruin my honor now?”</p><p>Ari groaned and coughed before rising to her hands and knees. “Why? If I answer no, are you going to kill me like your mother did to her opponents?”</p><p>The insult struck a new layer of anger into Rangi. She could be called many things, but an assassin was not one of them. She despised them and it was hard enough to not be in constant disdain of her mother because of that. In fact, if the woman was anyone other than her mother, she would not even associate with them.</p><p>Despite her mother’s past, Rangi loved her with every ounce of her heart and no one was going to get away with anymore remarks regarding the woman that raised her. Now that she was out of the Academy, it was time they learned that she was not to be teased anymore. A small jet knife shot out from the bottom of her clinched right fist.</p><p>Rangi grabbed Ari by the collar with her left hand and picked her up off of her feet before slamming her backwards into the ground. Her foe choked for air at the impact and looked up with wide eyes, horrified of what her fate might actually be as she gripped at Rangi’s wrists. Rangi’s right hand in front of her so the edge of the flame knife was a few inches from Ari’s neck.</p><p>“You can push me around all day and say the worst things. I can take it. I’ve already been through that torment. But, don’t you ever talk about my clan or my mother. She has more honor than you and your ancestors combined. Understand?” She pushed the flame knife closer until Ari cried out.</p><p>“Please don’t kill me! I didn’t mean it. Please have mercy!” Tears began to stream down Ari’s face as she begged for forgiveness.</p><p>Rangi sighed and let go of the fabric of the girl’s tunic. It was good enough. She had broken the girl down enough to get her point across. She turned to Sergeant Zhu sitting at the front of crowd and bowed. He dismissed her and Rangi walked out of the arena, the silence behind her deafening.</p><p>**********</p><p>Rangi tried to hide her limp as she entered Sergeant Zhu’s office for a conduct review. She closed the door and walked to the front of the man’s desk. It made her nervous to be in his office first thing in the morning after breakfast.</p><p>She stood there at attention for several minutes, not budging. Her arms were tight to her side as her heels were pressed together with her toes pointing out just enough. Her shoulders were pinned back. The reality of her soreness began to kick in around minute two as she suffered in silence.</p><p>Zhu finally decided to acknowledge her existence while he continued working. “You are going to cost me my job one day, I just know it.”</p><p>He put the quill down, placed his hands on his desk and pushed the chair backwards. The Sergeant walked around to the other side of his desk and stood directly in front of Rangi. “Do you realize how stupid that was? If you would have lost, you could have said goodbye to your career here. Am I going to have to worry about you like we did with Hei-Ran? Are you going to challenge anyone that defies what you want?”</p><p>“I am not my mother. I will never be my mother, no matter how alike we can be. Sir, I have been teased and cast aside because of what she has done in her past. I have been bullied because of her decisions and because of my clan. I will no longer allow that to happen.”</p><p>Zhu shook his head and pointed a finger towards her. “Don’t be hard headed.“</p><p>“I understand my motivations completely and I found myself in a situation where I knew it was right to fight back, so I did. It was not the most well thought out plan but I had to do something.” Rangi’s eyes shifted from the Sergeant to anywhere around the room. They caught a mannequin with armor set on top. It looked too small to be his and it had never been there before.</p><p>Zhu looked to where her attention had gone and smiled. “Well, you gave quite a show during your Agni Kai. You impressed several higher ranked Officers, so you should feel proud. In fact, they are now discussing allowing you to graduate the Officers program early. We are convinced you know more than half the current Officers already.</p><p>“Personally, I want to commend you for carrying your fellow cadet all the way back to base. I was told that you carried her since the day before. That is a very impressive feat and not one for the faint of heart.”</p><p>He paused and slowly walked over to the armor, examining it carefully. “You are brave, confident, talented, disciplined, and a shining example of a Fire Nation soldier. I wish your mother was in town so I could tell her everything you’ve done in just a week.”</p><p>Rangi’s face twisted and her head snapped in Sergeant Zhu’s direction. “Wait. Where is my mother?”</p><p>“She headed to Yokoya three days ago. Her old friends Jianzhu and Kelsang found the Avatar. And your plans have change. I think you are going to love the assignment we have for you now.”</p><p>Rangi’s heart started beating faster and faster. Her mind began racing, wondering what all of this meant. They found the Avatar. Finally. A large surge of hope and joy began to overfill her.</p><p>“-for the avatar. Cadet Rangi? Are you listening?”</p><p>Rangi snapped back to reality. She had drifted into her own thoughts. “I’m sorry, Sir. I was overwhelmed by the news. What is my assignment?”</p><p>Sergeant Zhu sighed but smiled. “Pay attention. It’s not everyday that this assignment gets handed out. After you finish one more month of training here, you will report to Yokoya and serve as the Avatar’s bodyguard. Until you are sixteen, you will report back to base twice a year for month long trainings and recaps.”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide as she forced herself to keep her excitement contained. She always knew that when the time came, the Avatar would become a prominent part of her life, given Hei-Ran’s status with the Avatar Huruk. It was in her blood to become the Avatar’s bodyguard but until now, it was all simply a hope and a dream. “This is a great honor, sir.” She bowed deeply, right palm over left fist.</p><p>“You must want to explode out of the roof right now.”</p><p>“Sir, standing in one spot is painful. I could scream to the top of the clouds.”</p><p>He grinned even more. “Well, I have one last surprise for you.” His hands grazed the leather of the shoulder guard “This armor has been custom made specifically for you. It has extra reinforcements here and there since a bodyguard may be put in situation where they must fight without help.</p><p>“Though the leather is more supple and easier to move in than most of the military armor, I can assure you that this is of better quality and structure. The Fire Lord and I felt that the Avatar’s bodyguard should not dawdle in the dealings of the Avatar without first giving strong representation of the Fire Nation.”</p><p>Rangi just stood in disbelief. Her emotions were truly overflowing and she did everything she could to keep from crying. This was her new driven purpose. Serving the Avatar. The dream of many and the reality of very few.</p><p>“You have permission to be at ease.” Zhu chuckled.</p><p>The girl exhaled in exasperation and immediately ran over to where the Sergeant stood and examined the armor. It was the finest quality of leather she had ever seen. The stitching was perfect and precise. Gold edging brought out how deep of an onyx the armor truly was.</p><p>Her attention went to Zhu. “Can I put it on?”</p><p>“Of course. It’s your armor. I see you already got the red uniforms I had delivered to your bunk. All you need is this.” He patted the armor again. “Do you want help?”</p><p>“No, I need to learn to put it on myself.” She immediately reached for the hardy slippers and replaced her current shoes. They formed perfectly to her feet as she wiggled her toes. Elation ran through her veins as she moved on to the shin greaves and knee guards that matched seamlessly with the slippers.</p><p>Rangi stood up and looked down at her legs. The feeling of power and purpose was overwhelming. She turned her attention to the thigh guards and wrapped the string behind her back and around to her front before tying it with shaking hands. Excitement was getting the best of her.</p><p>Next was the big piece: her chest and shoulder guards. With help from Zhu, she lifted it off the mannequin and placed it over her shoulders. Her hands moved to the right side by her ribs wear it tied together. Once finished with that, she took the deep burgundy obi and tied it around her waist. She turned and looked at herself in a full length mirror next to Zhu's armor mannequin.</p><p>“It’s a good thing you are already taller than most twelve year olds. This set should last you a good year or two before we will need to get a new set made. If it ever gets damaged, immediately send it to me so I can have it repaired by the original makers. We don’t need faulty armor on you.” Zhu stepped back and looked the girl over. “Like a true Fire Nation soldier.”</p><p>Rangi stood there, tall and proud. She was ready to serve the Avatar with her whole life. She would make her nation proud. And most of all, she would bring honor to her family and clan. Everything she had silently dealt with over the years had led to this moment.</p><p>Sergeant Zhu walked past her, patting her on the shoulder. “Now, come play a few rounds of Pai Sho. I hear Avatar Yun is a big fan of the game.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Song used for tone:</p><p>Don’t Get In My Way by Zack Hemsey</p><p>“So if you want to push, I'm a shove<br/>If you want to spar we can do it no gloves<br/>And if you're gonna run at me you better do it hard“</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Glory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rangi meets Master Kelsang and arrives at the mansion, meeting Yun and Kyoshi.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry this took so long to update! I’ve been in a writer’s block but finally broke through. The next few chapters will be coming in like hot cakes!</p><p>Enjoy!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Rangi, this is Master Kelsang.” Hei-Ran motioned to the monk as he came striding up to them.</p><p>The girl looked up at the towering orange and yellow clothed man. She was amazed that anyone could be as tall as he was. His flowing robes and long beard blew in the direction of the sea breeze. Rangi admired his Air Nomad tattoos as a large smile filled his face as he waved to her and bow. “Mistress Rangi, I have heard so much about you.”</p><p>She bowed as well. “Master Kelsang.” While forgetting most of her usual self-restraint, Rangi looked around the human wall and her eyes went wide in astonishment. “Is that a sky bison?”</p><p>Kelsang turned and looked, as if in disbelief himself. “Yes, that is Pengpeng. She’s been my air bison since we were both very young. Do you want to meet-“</p><p>Before he could finish, Rangi was slowly walking towards the large animal. It was the first time she had ever seen one in person. They were more magnificent than she ever imagined. The stories and books did not give the beast the glory it deserved.</p><p>Kelsang caught up to her quickly and began talking as they walked together. “Be careful. A fully grown sky bison is ten tons. She would squish us both if she got spooked.”</p><p>With care and guidance, Rangi approached the front of the animal. Pengpeng glanced over at her and groaned loudly, the rumbling of the sound made the ground rumble. It was followed by a loud snort. Rangi stepped back in surprise before approaching again, this time holding her hand out.</p><p>Pengpeng sniffed the girl before gently pressing her large face against the open palm. “I have only ever seen her do that with one other person besides myself.”</p><p>Rangi looked over at Kelsang with excitement, “The Avatar?”</p><p>“Surprising enough, no actually. But, Pengpeng loves my daughter, Kyoshi. She is very sweet. I think you will like her just as much as Pengpeng does.” He chuckled at his joke to appease himself and bent down a little. “Are you old enough to drive a sky bison yet?”</p><p>She gave him a curious side eye as she gently petted the oversized animal in front of her. “How old do you have to be?”</p><p>Kelsang stroked his beard a little in fake contemplation. “Well, how old are you?”</p><p>“Twelve.”</p><p>Kelsang stood up straight. The hand on his facial hair shot into the sky. “Just the right age! What do you say? Want to learn how to fly a sky bison on the way to Yokoya?”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide and she lifted onto the tips of her toes in excitement. “Yes!” She was excited to learn a new skill that would help her aid the Avatar. The closer she got to leaving the Fire Nation, the more her duties were finally starting to appear. She was going to miss her home Nation, especially her clan’s island, but so much adventure and stature waited before her. She was going to see the world next to the Avatar.</p><p>Her mother used to tell her stories about traveling with Huruk and about past Avatars. She used to tell the tales of Avatar Szeto before bed when Rangi was really young. When her father would take Rangi on hikes, he would point out different landmarks and tell her about their significance.</p><p>Everything in her life up to this point had been centered around the Avatar. She believed deeply in the traditions and knew she could bring honor to the time held position, protecting them from anyone that tried to challenge those traditions. Rangi took a deep breath. She was ready to begin her duties as the Avatar’s bodyguard.</p><p>**********</p><p>Hei-Ran’s commands filled the wide open sky around them. The woman’s words pierced through the blowing wind. “Rangi, you’re steering us too far to the west. Sit up, keep your eyes on the sky in front of you and redirect us towards Yokoya.”</p><p>Rangi’s face sank in anger. Her eyes were narrow and her lips in a tight frown of annoyance. The white knuckles of her hands showed just how tightly she was grabbing the reins. The criticism had been endless since she took over flying Pengpeng. It felt as if they were back home and training. Hei-Ran would relentlessly pick her forms and katas apart until the girl was absolutely perfect. If she released any flame too soon or too late, she started over. This was her first time flying a bison and her mother was acting like she should be a master within the past hour.</p><p>“Don’t hold the reins so high! Lower your hands. Relax your shoulders!”</p><p>Kelsang finally spoke up in a calm, collected tone. “Hei-Ran, she’s doing just fine. Perhaps let me do the teaching. It is my sky bison afterall.”</p><p>Rustling could be heard behind Rangi as she felt Kelsang sit behind her, with space between them. He reached forward and adjusted her hands on the reins. They had been a little too wide, and he lowered them a notch. “She can be a real pain, can’t she?”</p><p>Rangi’s face of annoyance turned into a smirk. “Yes.”</p><p>“I’ve known her since we were kids and trust me, she’s only become worse.” This made the girl chuckle a little in relief as he continued. “She talks endlessly about how proud she is of you, did you know that?”</p><p>The Firebender turned her head a little. “No.”</p><p>“She annoyed Jianzhu the day she got news about you winning that Agni Kai. He left for several hours because she wouldn’t stop talking about how proud she was of her daughter and how honorable it was for your family to win. She has told us every year since you were born how much she loves you, about how much you remind her so much of Junsik, and how amazing of a daughter you are.”</p><p>Kelsang patted Rangi gently on the shoulder. “Try not to get too flustered with her. All three of us are trying to prove ourselves again and she just wants everything to be perfect, including you. She doesn’t want you to make her same mistakes.” He carefully got up and moved back to the saddle, leaving her to steer alone again.</p><p>Rangi nodded and looked straight ahead at the sky. There were tears building in the corners of her eyes. Luckily, the passing air immediately dried the corners of her eyes before the tats could fall. She had not known that her mother talked about her daughter to other people like that.</p><p>**********</p><p>“Ease up, don’t let her nose dip too far down. Gentle, gentle.” Those were the last words Kelsang said before the sky bison slammed into the ground causing both him and Hei-Ran to grip the edges of the saddle in despair. “I said gently, but that is alright. You did great for your first flight!” He stood up and created a small current of air to wisp himself from the saddle to the ground. He walked to the front of Pengpeng and gave Rangi a hand with sliding off, gently placing her feet on the ground.</p><p>She placed her hands on her waist and squinted her eyes as she looked at the mansion before her and her face immediately twisted. It was the ugliest building she had ever seen. All Four Nations were represented but at what cost? She bet to herself that the villagers of Yokoya hated looking at the monstrosity.</p><p>Several servants began making their way towards them as Kelsang helped Hei-Ran down from the saddle. Rangi observed the approaching people but her eyes couldn’t help but settle on one in particular. It wasn’t because of any reason other than the fact that the girl was extremely tall. And she only grew taller as they approached.</p><p>Hei-Ran stood next to Rangi as Kelsang walked off to talk with the girl she had spotted in the small crowd. He was only slightly taller than her, which was even more jaw dropping. Rangi watched curiously as the man pulled the servant from the rest of the group and walked her over to the two Firebenders. They were chatting like old friends, the servant girl smiling and chuckling at something Kelsang had said.</p><p>Kelsang gestured towards the girl. “Mistress Rangi, meet Kyoshi. First and foremost, she is my wonderful daughter. Secondly, she is the personal servant of Avatar Yun. Consider her your own as well since you two will be spending a lot of time together. All three of you are the same age too.”</p><p>Kyoshi had a soft smile as she bowed. Kelsang’s daughter, that would explain the height. Wait, Kelsang was an Air Nomad so how could he have a daughter? And why would the daughter of the Avatar’s teachers work as a servant? Rangi was definitely confused now. Obviously there was some investigating in her future.</p><p>She looked over the girl in front of her. Soft green eyes looked back at her own dark bronze eyes as they moved to look at all the small freckles scattered across Kyoshi’s cheeks. Her long, brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. It waved in the light breeze that cut across the property. The girl’s lips were still pulled into a small smile and-</p><p>Rangi stopped her thoughts in their tracks. Why did she care about the detail of this girl’s lips? She suddenly became drastically aware of the fluttering feeling in her stomach. Maybe she was hungry? Perhaps she was feeling flight sick? It was something she had never felt before and it was now causing her brain to rush to several conclusions. Whatever it was, she needed to acknowledge the introduction before she looked rude.</p><p>She simply nodded her head, knowing it had been more than the acceptable amount of response time. Now she stood there awkwardly. “Pleasure to meet you, Kyoshi. I’ll let you know if I need anything.” <em>I need to know more about you</em>, she immediately thought. Where did that come from? What was wrong with her?</p><p>Kelsang eyeballed Rangi before he turned to Kyoshi again. “How about you give Mistress Rangi a grand tour of the place while we wait for the bags to be taken in and for Yun to finish his training with Jianzhu?”</p><p>Before Kyoshi could acknowledge the request, Rangi began the tour herself. She walked down the main path towards the house and walked straight up the front steps. There was a large reception foyer just inside the door. It was grand and filled with historical artifacts and more abrupt color schemes like she had seen in the courtyard. Was she really going to be subjected to seeing this chaos the rest of her life?</p><p>Rangi shook her head and took a left down the hall, inspecting each and every room. Dining area. Tea room. Library. Study. Guest rooms. Some sections were still unfinished and under construction. She took note of each twist and turn and nook of the house.</p><p>“To the right are your chambers.” The voice made Rangi halt in her tracks. Had Kyoshi been following her this whole time so silently? Without acknowledging the girl, Rangi turned to the right and opened the door in front of her, curious to see her new quarters.</p><p>It was much larger than she had expected. There was a common room and a bedchamber off the right hand side. In the common room was a bunch of nuances. A small four person table, for tea or taking meals in her room. There was a Pai Sho table and a few bookcases holding a small library of books and manuscripts that would get her attention later.</p><p>She turned and left the room. There would be time to poke around and settle in later. For now, it was time to begin learning every part of the mansion. It was her job to keep the Avatar safe and becoming familiar with her surroundings was key right now. There would need to be several patrols of the grounds multiple times a day. Avatar Yun would never be left to feel unsafe, not on her watch.</p><p>Rangi stalked out into gardens and began examining the perimeter. Tall stone walls. They weren’t to the standard of Fire Nation walls but they would do. She looked over her shoulder to see Kyoshi still following her. The corner of her mouth twitched, noticing the little freckles that were like constellations across the Earthbender’s face. They were cute against the more tan skin of the girl.</p><p>Stop. Rangi wondered what these thoughts were all about. She had never been so enamored with looking at someone’s every feature, at least not in this sort of way. And she had never felt the strange nervousness that came with it. She shook her head and frowned at the servant, walking off without a single word.</p><p>As they silently moved along the fence, rustling came from the tall boxwood bushes to their left. Rangi suddenly stopped and stood ready for an attack. It was too loud to be a small animal. “Come out, now.” She growled, fists cocked and ready.</p><p>A boy in green robes popped out from around the bush and smiled at them. His hair was a little tousled but was otherwise pulled back in a ponytail. He grinned as he glanced over at Kyoshi before focusing back on the Firebender. “You must be Rangi?”</p><p>“What’s it to you? Who are you?” She gripped her hands a little tighter and heat began wavering off of them.</p><p>The boy turned to Kyoshi again. “Can you do what we practiced?”</p><p>Kyoshi sighed and looked at the ground. “I really don’t want to.”</p><p>His eyes melted into a pathetic plead. “Come on, Kyoshi. Just this once? For me?”</p><p>The servant smiled and looked up, holding her hand out towards the boy that was annoying them. “Introducing the greatest, most magnificent, the strongest, most handsome…,” her green eyes shifted as they both watched him flex and pose. “Avatar Yun.”</p><p>A large, teeth-showing smile glowered across the boy’s face. His hands rested on his hips as his chest was puffed out in pride. Rangi stared at him, dumbstruck from what she just heard.</p><p>Then, it hit her like a mass of Earth. Her gut turned as she realized what had just happened. She threatened the Avatar. Her eyes widened as her fists dropped to her sides right before she fell to her knees. Deeply, she bowed onto the ground. “Avatar Yun, please accept my apology. I didn't mean to threaten you. Please-“</p><p>She heard laughter from the boy. “Rangi, it’s fine!”</p><p>Rangi looked up and saw both of them smiling down at her. “Wait. You’re not mad? I threatened you, the Avatar. That’s… that’s… treason. I- I-,” She sat up onto her knees and hid her face in her hands.</p><p>“I thought it was really funny. Some other people here, well, they would probably be upset. Don’t worry about all that formal stuff when it’s just us! The Avatar needs friends too, you know.” He took a few strides closer to her. “Come on, stand up.”</p><p>Rangi did as her Avatar instructed and was quickly pulled into a tight hug. If she admitted to feeling uncomfortable, it would have been an understatement. She didn’t just let anyone embrace her, let alone touch her. It was not just for the sake of personal comfort but also standard courtesy in the Fire Nation.</p><p>He released her but kept his hands on her shoulders. “Hei-Ran has told me all about you. I’m glad you’re here to join my Team Avatar.” Yun turned and walked away. “Now, let’s go find Jianzhu and your mom. I’m sure they have some official Avatar bodyguard swearing in stuff that they want us to do. Make it official or whatever.”</p><p>His servant followed behind him and Rangi trotted quickly to catch up with them, slipping between Yun and Kyoshi. She was his second, not Kyoshi.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Year One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A few glimpses into Rangi’s first year at the Avatar’s mansion.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The next few chapters are going to have quite a bit of time jumping in them but it’s all part of the master plan for this fic.</p><p>Also always, enjoy! And thank you for reading!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Slowly but surely, Rangi fell into a new routine. Her and her mother both stuck to their militaristic ways. They both got up right before the sun peeked over the horizon and ate breakfast together. Afterwards, they would train. Hei-Ran was worse than any other instructor Rangi had back at the Academy or in Junior Corp. She was highly unforgiving of mistakes, especially from her daughter.</p><p>At the end of practicing forms, they would lightly spar each other, warming up for the day’s tasks. Rangi’s firebending was advanced for someone of her age but her mother still always outmatched her skills. She admired the woman for that and while her mother was tough on her, she was glad to be taught by one of the greatest firebending instructors known.</p><p>She had taken the words that Kelsang had said to her on their flight here seriously. Ever since her father had passed, things had been shaky between her and her mother. They both felt the pain of the loss and Rangi knew her mother was keeping the true depth of her emotions suppressed for Rangi’s sake. She may have been twelve but she knew her mother well and knew that she was trying her best to now compensate for the loss.</p><p>Rangi watched as her mother worked through a few final katas. It truly was an inspiration to her to watch the woman. Every movement was precise with not a single detail going unnoticed. She moved flawlessly and gave every punch and kick a purpose. There was an aspiration to be better than Hei-Ran and Rangi was determined to make it happen, not out of jealousy but out of necessity. If she could achieve that, then honor and pride would come pouring into the Sei’naka Clan.</p><p>Once the woman was finished, she joined Rangi at the side of the training grounds and they took a stroll through the gardens before their day fully began. They walked along quietly until Rangi asked, “Do you ever miss father?”</p><p>Hei-Ran’s face didn’t waiver as she kept walking along. “All the time. Why do you ask?”</p><p>“No reason, I just miss him too. Some days more than others.” Rangi sighed and looked over at the pond. She had sat next to it the other day and found that there were no turtleducks. Her mother told her that Jianzhu didn’t care for the animals and did not plan to bring any into the area. It was sorely disappointing to hear but she knew exactly how to fix that problem.</p><p>“Can you believe it’s closing on five years?” Hei-Ran stopped and turned to her daughter. She took a long look as they both stood there.</p><p>Rangi chewed at her lip a little. “It doesn’t feel that long ago.” She often wondered what it would be like if he were still alive. “When does the pain of missing him stop?”</p><p>Her mother frowned for a split second. “I don’t know, dear. The best we can do is to keep pushing forward. Now, come on, we need to get to our day.” They both turned and continued walking, but Hei-Ran now wrapped her arm around Rangi’s shoulders and pulled the girl close to her side. Rangi lost her balance for a moment, stumbling before wrapping her arm around her mom’s waist. They both chuckled at the clumsiness as they walked together, no longer as instructor and student, but as mother and daughter.</p><p>**********</p><p>Rangi was now standing in front of Kyoshi’s door. Every morning after training, she met up with the girl so they could both begin their duties to serve the Avatar. After multiple weeks of this, day after day, it had now become her favorite part of her routine. It was often the only part of the day that Rangi got to have a few moments alone with Kyoshi. She took a deep breath, pushed back any loose hair and straightened out her uniform, before drawing her mouth into a straight line. With haste, she knocked on the door.</p><p>Footsteps approached on the other side and the door opened to show Kyoshi standing on the other side. Rangi looked up. She was still holding her hair with one hand as she answered the demanding knock.</p><p>“You’re running late.” Rangi’s raspy voice hit a little deeper octave than usual. Her voice was not warmed up yet from giving orders.</p><p>Kyoshi simply turned around and went back to her mirror to finish doing her hair. “I’m on time.” She mumbled through the hair tie in her mouth. Kyoshi removed it and spoke again, “Besides, if I’m running late, then that means you are as well since you’re standing here with me.”</p><p>She had left the door open and Rangi took it upon herself to walk inside. Her eyes fell to watching Kyoshi carefully and meticulously pull her hair back, making sure every strand was in the right spot. Rangi had thought before about how she wanted to gently run her fingers through- <em>stop</em>. She closed her eyes and took a moment before finally responding to Kyoshi’s earlier comment, “Early is on time, on time is late... so, you’re late, not me.”</p><p>“You’re still waiting on me, which is putting you behind.” The sarcasm on Kyoshi’s lips fell thick on her response.</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide in aggravation. She stalked over to Kyoshi and pushed her forefinger onto the girl’s chest, staring up at her with intent. “Don’t talk to me like that. I swear, I’ll give you a reason to regret it.”</p><p>Kyoshi’s lips seemed to curl a little in amusement as she finished putting her long, brown hair in a ponytail. She finally looked down at Rangi and barely bowed her head. “My deepest apologies, Mistress Rangi.”</p><p>There was minimal sincerity and mostly amusement in her voice and it made Rangi’s skin crawl. While she liked the girl, it didn’t make up for the respect that she had come to expect. She huffed away and looked around the room. This was her first time inside and not just leaning in the doorway, looking at her feet in order to avoid getting caught staring at the girl.</p><p>It was very small and simple with only the necessities. Rangi was impressed with how spotless it was. There wasn’t a speck of dust in sight. The bed was made with the sheets and blankets pulled tight. It could pass a Fire Nation Army look over. Not even the Avatar’s room was this organized. In fact, it was an absolute mess and after only stepping foot in it once, Rangi vowed to never go near the spot again.</p><p>There was a chest in the corner with a leather bound journal on top. She eyeballed it for a moment, wondering what secrets were held inside. What could Kelsang’s daughter possibly be hiding away in a chest? Before she could look any more at it, Kyoshi stepped between her and the items. “Ready?”</p><p>Rangi scowled. “Of course. I’ve been ready and waiting for you.”</p><p>Kyoshi simply smiled and ushered her towards the door. That dumb smirk always caught Rangi off guard and made her stomach turn, but in a good way. A large breath of heat left her nose as she exited the room and headed down the hall, Kyoshi following closely and quietly behind her.</p><p>**********</p><p>A loud banging sound jolted Rangi awake. Her eyes snapped open and her hands gripped at her sheets in momentary panic. “Rangi! Rangi! Come quick!” The muffled voice was Yun’s.</p><p>Her legs swung over the bed and into action. She scrambled across the room to grab her robe, throwing it on before fumbling with the ties. She ran back to her side table and grabbed a hair pin. Jet black strands of hair stuck to her face as she quickly pulled together a topknot while dashing to the door. She swung it wide open, gasping for air. “What happened?”</p><p>Before her stood the boy, smiling widely and unharmed. “Good Morning, my firebending beauty. Did you sleep well?”</p><p>Despite being disheveled, Rangi bowed quickly. “Avatar. What can I do for you?” Her eyes looked up and down the hall before returning to Yun. They stood there in silence for only a moment before Yun grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the closest window in the house. She stumbled a little as he yanked her around.</p><p>Yun nearly threw her into the window pane but she caught herself. She looked through the glass and a gasp fell from her mouth as she looked outside. Childish wonderment filled her eyes. A large blanket of snow covered the courtyard and thick snowflakes tenderly fell from the sky. Tree branches were covered in ice.</p><p>“Get dressed. I want to go outside.”</p><p>Rangi gave him a side glance. “The sun is hardly out yet.”</p><p>“Then hurry. We need to take advantage of the fresh snow.” Yun never took his gaze from the sight outside. She never showed it, but she admired how joyful he was for life. Yun often appreciated the simple things just as much as his training.</p><p>“I’ll get dressed and get Kyoshi.”</p><p>Yun finally turned to his bodyguard. “Don’t worry about it, I was on my way to her next.”</p><p>“No.” Rangi snapped then recoiled. “I mean, you go get dressed and ready. I’ll get her and we will meet you out there.” With only slight defiance, she turned around and went back to her room, putting on her uniform, armor, and an extra layer of warmth. With her hair redone, she headed out to Kyoshi’s room.</p><p>Rangi was impressed to find how grumpy Kyoshi was in the morning when woken up earlier than expected. It amused her, making for a great opportunity to finally turn the tables and become Kyoshi’s headache for once. If looks could kill, and if Kyoshi even had it in her to kill, then Rangi would have been the target at that moment.</p><p>Once Kyoshi was bundled up and ready, the sun was fully over the horizon. Yun was already waiting outside for them, as well as Kelsang, Jianzhu, and her mother. How had he convinced them to come outside as well?</p><p>“It took you long enough!” Yun yelled out as the two girls made their way down the icy stairs.</p><p>Rangi pointed her thumb over to Kyoshi. “Someone gets a little grumpy in the morning!” As if to punish her for trying to embarrass Kyoshi, she lost her footing as she stepped onto a thick sheet of ice. Time seemed to slow down as she felt her feet beginning to come from underneath her.</p><p>Before she could fall, she felt two hands grab and steady her. Rangi closed her eyes and exhaled in relief. She looked over at Kyoshi and smiled to thank the girl. They walked down the last two steps with Rangi wrapping her arm Kyoshi’s for balance. This was the first time the Firebender was experiencing ice and snow so she did know how to keep her balance yet.</p><p>It was beautiful. Her eyes went wide again as she took in the scenery, completely different now that it was snow laden. Yellow and orange hues reflected on the surface of the ground from the rising sun. Everything was so still and peaceful.</p><p>She let go of Kyoshi’s arm as she waded towards her mother, pleased by the sound of crunching and compacting snow beneath her feet. “Is this what it’s like in the Poles?”</p><p>Hei-Ran nodded. “Except it’s worse there.”</p><p>Rangi was about to respond when someone hit her in the back. She turned to find Yun pointing and laughing at her. Kyoshi was chuckling while Kelsang held his hands behind his back while whistling, avoiding eye contact with her. “What was that?”</p><p>“A snowball! Have you really never seen snow before?” Yun began walking towards her.</p><p>She placed her hands on her hips and leaned forward in defense. “I’ve lived in the Fire Nation my entire life. What else did you expect?”</p><p>“Okay, okay, easy does it, fireball.” Yun winked at her before continuing, “I have an idea. Let’s have a snowball fight. You will enjoy yourself.”</p><p>She narrowed her eyes. “How do you play?”</p><p>“Both sides build a fort and a stockpile of snowballs and then we throw them at each other. What do you say, Kelsang and Kyoshi versus you and me?” He turned towards the monk and the servant and they both nodded in excitement.</p><p>Rangi’s eyes shifted to them as well and caught Kelsang bumping his fist into Kyoshi’s upper arm. The sound of Kyoshi’s laugh filled Rangi’s ears and made a smirk tick across her lips. “Fine. I’m in, but I’m building the fort.”</p><p>And she did. Rangi built the largest, most equipped snow fort that anyone could dream of. It covered them on all sides and was solid. An army of snowball fighters couldn’t tear the masterpiece down. Yun made a stock of snowballs while she made some final touches. “They are both large targets so this should be fairly easy for us to win.”</p><p>Rangi liked the way he was thinking. “They can’t be underestimated though. Kelsang is an airbender and Kyoshi, well, I’m just saying don’t count her out.”</p><p>Yun nodded. “Are you ready for war?”</p><p>The girl grinned. “Ready when you are.” They clapped their hands together before letting go to send an assault of snowballs across the courtyard towards their opponents.</p><p>The two across from them came back with just as much ferocity. Rangi froze and watched as Kyoshi pitched a snowball towards her. It was coming straight for her face so she began to turn to protect herself. As the snowball hit her square in the back, Rangi stepped wrong and her feet slipped from underneath her, sending her directly into the snow covered ground below her. The impact knocked some air from her lungs as she laid there staring at the gray clouded sky above.</p><p>Yun’s face appeared in her vision, both a smile and a look of concern looked down at her. He grabbed the girl and pulled her into his lap. The Avatar cradled her and dramatically cried out. “No! Not the fiery one!” He rocked her back and forth as his act played on. If he wasn’t gripping her so tightly, Rangi would have punched him square in the chest.</p><p>“You will be avenged! For pride and for HONOR!” He let go of her and pointed towards Kyoshi and Kelsang. “And you two shall pay for this!” Yun began laughing and grabbed two snowballs before continuing the fight. Laughter filled the air as Rangi continued to just lay there.</p><p>She wasn’t going to lie to herself. This was fun and it was nice to finally have friends that loved having her around for activities like this.</p><p>**********</p><p>“So, closing in on a year with the Avatar. How are you liking your job as the bodyguard?” Sergeant Zhu sat across from Rangi at the Pai Sho table in his office. He eyed the board as she decided on her next move.</p><p>“It’s different.” Rangi finally made her move then took a sip from the small cup of tea at her side.</p><p>He quickly countered her move. “How so?”</p><p>“It’s easier than I thought it would be.” Rangi concentrated on the board. The man was trying to coerce her into slowly moving her pieces to one side so he could use a special tile to destroy her harmonies. She moved the piece that was currently in the gate in the opposite direction.</p><p>She glanced up to see his eyebrow twitch and kept her grin to herself. Zhu looked up from the board. “Well, you are both thirteen. Did you expect it to be full-on battle every moment of your day?”</p><p>Rangi’s enjoyment turned sour. She glanced down at the board and sat back a little. “No, I guess I just expected more traveling and diplomatic meetings.”</p><p>Zhu sat back as well. “These are the developmental years of the Avatar. They must prepare him for those events before diving into them. The other Nations, well, not to talk lowly of them, but they do not engage their children in the world of government and military as much as the Fire Nation does. He has a lot to learn first.”</p><p>Rangi interrupted, “Well, that seems silly.”</p><p>The man held up a hand to silence her. “Each nation has their own ways of doing things. Now, keep this in mind for the next year or two. It’s likely to be that long before the Avatar’s duties begin to expand, but once they do, you will constantly be on your feet.”</p><p>Rangi simply nodded in understanding. Maybe she was being too impatient about the entire process. She refocused herself to the board and they continued their game. They caught each other repeatedly, causing both of them to rethink their plans on the fly.</p><p>Then, a thought crossed her mind. “Remember our one conversation when I said I was never going to fall in love?”</p><p>Sergeant Zhu perked up with a devilish grin. “Oh? Yes, I remember. Who has stolen your heart at such an early age? Perhaps the Avatar?”</p><p>“No!” Rangi slammed her palms against the top of the table in outright defense, but took a moment to calm herself. Her voice lowered dramatically in volume. “No. Um, actually, it’s one of the servants.”</p><p>“Oh, what’s his name?”</p><p>Rangi gave the man a deadpan stare. “Her name is Kyoshi.” She was going out on a limb telling someone higher in rank about this but Sergeant Zhu had always given her sound advice before. Hopefully he could now.</p><p>“Oh, my apologies, Rangi. I did not mean to assume.” He bowed his head in apology before continuing. “How long have you liked her for now? Does she know?”</p><p>Rangi bit her lip and glanced down at the table, feeling nearly unable to tell the man any more information. “I-,” she collected herself, “I have liked her since the moment I saw her when I arrived in Yokoya and no, she doesn’t know.”’</p><p>Zhu ran his hand along his short beard. Gray hairs were beginning to show themselves. “That is a tough place to be, young Rangi. Lucky for you, you have the grace of time on your side. Either one day you will get the confidence to tell her or you will eventually move on without her ever knowing.”</p><p>The advice depressed her. So badly did she want to tell Kyoshi but she also wanted to feel comfortable with herself first too. No one else until now had ever known about her preference towards girls. She had kept it to herself out of fear of dishonoring her family. There was already so much rejection in her life, she didn’t need to bring another cause to the table.</p><p>The Fire Nation had always been very accepting of people whose attraction was towards the same gender, but it still scared her. There were always the people who didn’t agree. What if her mother was one of them? What if the Avatar was one of them? And what if they disowned her? She would be left with nothing. Those thoughts alone kept her silent.</p><p>As if reading her mind, Zhu asked, “Have you told anyone else?”</p><p>“No.” Tears welled up at the bottom edges of her eyes but she willed them back. She did everything she could to suppress her emotions in order to keep her mentor from seeing even more weakness.</p><p>“I suggest you tell Hei-Ran. You two are close and I’m sure it’s been tough to keep something about who you are from her.”</p><p>Rangi nodded and was about to speak when there was a knock on the door. It opened and Rangi’s jaw nearly dropped when she saw who it was. Koulin. Her biggest antagonizer back at the Academy for Girls. Rangi thought she had finally escaped once she joined the Junior Corp.</p><p>“Rangi! What a surprise!” Koulin began walking over as Rangi stood up. They locked their hands together in greeting, both of them overplaying their joy in seeing each other.</p><p>Rangi stepped back with the fakest smile she could produce. “What brings you to Sergeant Zhu’s office?”</p><p>Koulin smirked. “I’m just visiting one of my Uncles for lunch hour.” She turned towards the man. “I see you two have been in an intense game of Pai Sho. How exciting. Talking about your adventures with the Avatar?”</p><p>“Exactly that.” Rangi continued smiling even though she was breaking a little inside. She had become close with the uncle of her enemy. Intimate details had been shared with the man that was part of the Saowon clan. She didn’t know though, he never gave any indication to what clan he belonged to and she never thought to find out. Rangi could only hope he was more honorable than the majority of his family.</p><p>She bowed. “Well, I will leave you both for your lunch. It was great seeing you again, both of you.” The two Saowons bowed to her, Koulin giving Rangi a cold smile as she shut the door.</p><p>**********</p><p>Breath in.</p><p>Breath out.</p><p>Rangi slid open the door to her father’s old study and bowed before stepping inside and closing the panel. She silently carried the tray she held towards a large mantle, her gaze never leaving the floor. The tray was placed on the ground as she knelt down on a cushion. Rangi carefully and solemnly lit several candles that were placed on the edge of the mantle in front of her and poured two cups of tea from the small teapot she had brought.</p><p>She took several deep breaths before finally gaining the courage to look up at her father’s armor that was proudly on display.</p><p>Tears immediately flooded her eyes and she choked back her need to gasp for air. She had come back to the Fire Nation for one of her required month long trainings and her last night before returning to Yokoya was also the five year anniversary of Junsik’s death. Her eyes took in the red, gold, and onyx armor. He had kept it in pristine condition.</p><p>She could feel every wave of sadness and anger crashing into her. Why had he been taken from her so soon? It wasn’t fair.</p><p>Her head bowed and she spoke to the room. “I miss you, dad. A lot actually. Especially today. I hope the spirits have let you see everything I’ve done this past year. I won my first Agni Kai, and I’m now the bodyguard of the Avatar. I got to see my first snowfall and had a snowball fight. We celebrated the Avatar’s birthday and I’ve learned how to fly a sky bison.</p><p>“I have two great and true friends, Yun and Kyoshi. One is the Avatar and the other is his servant. She’s really amazing though. I really like her, dad. She makes me so flustered, but I can’t help but always feel happy around her, even when she’s driving me crazy. I think about her all the time and I can’t help but think that she never thinks of me back.”</p><p>Rangi let some tears fall as she gripped the fabric of her robe that rested in her lap. “I know- I know it sounds ridiculous for a barely thirteen year old to say things like that but I just feel something between us and I don’t know why.” More tears fell and splattered onto the tops of her hands. She took a few breaths, most of them stunted short and unhelping. Her voice began to crack as she spoke now.</p><p>“I promised you that I would take care of my mother and I’m trying my best. She’s so stubborn sometimes. And I know she’s doing her best to make sure I’m okay too, but neither of us are father. Neither of us are okay without you and-,” she finally broke down into tears, unable to continue. Rangi’s hands immediately covered her face as she cried. She leaned forward over her legs and let herself weep. She didn’t have to maintain a strong and stoic composure with her father.</p><p>Everything that she had held in for the past year poured out in the form of tears. Her pent up anger from Yun sometimes not taking his Avatarhood seriously enough. All of the various emotions she felt for Kyoshi and knowing nothing was likely to ever become of them. The sadness she saw in her mother’s eyes when they both got to thinking about Junsik. The jealousy and resentment she felt for losing her father. And the hatred she still held inside for the bullying she had received.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she mumbled into her hands once her crying had subsided. Rangi sat up once more and wiped her face with her sleeves. “I’m doing everything I can, dad, but it never feels like enough. You always made me feel like I was enough. You always made me feel loved and wanted and safe and- and- and I miss your hugs and laughter so much. I’m sorry I can’t talk to you without crying but it still hurts.”</p><p>She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve once more. “I wish you were here to guide me, is all. I miss you and I love you and I hope to see you again one day.”</p><p>Rangi tilted her head upwards to look at the armor once more. “I hope I make you proud.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Year Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rangi’s second year at the mansion.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for continuing with this story. We are building up to something great! </p><p>Chapters 7-10 are going to have some pretty big time jumps. They are essentially go to be a large collection of one shots. Either the end of Chapter 10 or beginning of Chapter 11 will reveal the true intent of this story.</p><p>Thank you for the continued support! No kudos or comment goes unnoticed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With the utmost care, Rangi secured a box to Pengpeng’s saddle and made sure that it was extra safe and secure. They were getting ready to leave the Fire Nation from one of Rangi’s month long training trips.</p><p>“May I ask why you are being so particular about this box?” Kelsang was now standing right beside her. His arms were crossed as he looked down at her in curiosity.</p><p>Rangi turned around and tried to hide the box behind her back. “Oh, nothing important. I’m just making sure that everything is extra secured this time.” She quickly began to go through everything that was lashed down, pretending to check and redo the tying of the ropes. “We might hit some unexpected winds, who knows. Preparedness wins the day, as my mother always says!”</p><p>The girl slapped the top of the tarp and smiled. “This isn’t going anywhere. We are good to go, Master Kelsang!” The fake grin of assurance was beginning to make her face hurt.</p><p>Kelsang stared at her for a moment before a booming laughter exploded from him. “You expect me to believe that? Rangi, you’re not a very good liar.” He pointed to the box again. “Now, what’s in there? Is that quacking I hear?”</p><p>She sulked back over to the precious cargo, carefully opening the lid to reveal three large turtleducklings. “It’s turtleducklings. I’m bringing them back with us. What’s the point of having a turtleduckling pond in the mansion gardens but not having turtleducklings?”</p><p>The monk squatted down while placing a hand on her shoulder. They looked at each other, Kelsang giving her a warming smile. “I think this is a wonderful idea.”</p><p>“You’re not going to tell Jianzhu, are you?,” she questioned, the sound of defeat in her voice.</p><p>“No. If he asks, I’ll just tell him Kyoshi did it. He won’t be able to figure out how she even managed to find turtleducks in Yokoya.” Kelsang laughed again, this time to himself, as Rangi sighed in relief.</p><p>**********</p><p>Rangi carefully unbuckled her armor and pulled it off, piece by piece. Bracers, shoulder pauldrons and chest piece, the sash around her waist, the armor skirt, followed lastly by the greaves covering her shins. She felt confident and ready to take on the world in her armor, but taking the literal weight off her shoulders for the night was relaxing and well received.</p><p>The blood red uniform underneath was next. She stripped down completely and changed into a light red shift to sleep in. The cold floor under her feet felt refreshing as she walked through the room, going along the ins and outs of her nightly routine.</p><p>She made it to bed after the room was tidied up and hygiene was accounted for. Rangi settled in under the covers for a moment before she flutter kicked her legs, loosening up the sheets from being tucked in and wiggled her shoulders as she snuggled deep into the mattress.</p><p>Rangi now just laid there, staring at the ceiling. Her first year as the Avatar’s bodyguard went well, though it was largely uneventful. She had Yun figured out easily. It wasn’t too difficult, he was a young boy that came from nothing and now had everything he could ever ask for. His eyes always twinkled with mischief and there was not much that broke his spirit. Too many girls often gave in to his charm, making Rangi gag to herself. Despite him being obnoxious from time to time, she was proud to serve such a promising Avatar.</p><p>Then, there was Kyoshi. The servant girl that was quiet as a mouse. Rangi heard her and Yun have many conversations, typically her entertaining whatever ridiculousness Yun said. They were oddly close and sometimes Rangi could feel a small anger inside over how much less Kyoshi interacted with her.</p><p>Kyoshi was extremely clean and tidy, meticulous almost, which Rangi could respect. They were similar in that manner, though Rangi’s mannerisms weren’t as severe. She was the most selfless person Rangi had ever met. The other girl was far from threatening, despite her height. Sometimes it felt as if Kyoshi was intimidated by taking up space in the world. It made Rangi want to teach her to become brave and strong. She wanted Kyoshi to stand as if she carried all the confidence in the world.</p><p>Her soft smile was nice to look at though. Rangi had caught herself staring at Kyoshi all the time, whenever the trio was together or when she saw her around the mansion. Her face was gentle in expression, and it was comforting. Every freckle on her face and down her arms made Rangi smile more and more.</p><p>Catching glances of Kyoshi’s green eyes had made Rangi’s stomach turn and when her stare settled on Kyoshi’s lips... “Oh no.” Rangi snapped herself back to reality as soon as she realized that she was drifting again. She put her hands on her face to drown out a groan of anger and distaste. “Why.”</p><p>She thought back to just over a year ago when she was playing Pai Sho for the first time with Sergeant Zhu. Her fist had pounded the table as she swore that her life was strictly dedicated to serving her Nation. Now she had the greatest honor in the world serving as the Avatar’s bodyguard. And yet, a servant girl was running through her thoughts instead of always vigilant plans to maintain the safety of the Avatar.</p><p>Rangi took a few deep breaths. There was no need to panic. It was simple enough. She just needed to disconnect her heart from her head. Her life was dedicated to the Avatar, not his servant or both. Plans, delegations, and diligence were what her life consisted of and only that.</p><p>A wave of sadness rippled through her. She had grown to like the butterflies in her stomach whenever Kyoshi walked in the room. Obviously she couldn’t show it and she never would. Thinking of the girl made her smile and it made the fire inside her feel even stronger.</p><p>That had to stop. It had been a full year now and Rangi still felt incredibly smitten for Kyoshi. But, it needed to end. She couldn’t depend on a random servant girl providing anything for her.</p><p>She rolled onto her stomach and groaned loudly in frustration into her pillow. There was no reason to feel this much angst over one person. <em>Just separate yourself and move on</em>, she thought. <em>You’ll be fine</em>.</p><p>**********</p><p>“Yun, pay attention.” Rangi snapped through her teeth in a very low growl.</p><p>The boy gave her a full tooth smile in rebellion and went back to folding a sheet of paper repeatedly. Rangi rolled her eyes and went back to looking at the chalk board that Jianzhu was currently writing on. Both her and Yun had a handful of classroom hours every day with either Jianzhu, Hei-Ran, or Kelsang. They learned about the various histories of the four nations, about their philosophies and military views, and their relationships with each other, as well as how to develop and maintain the balances between them.</p><p>Rangi had come to escape through learning. It had become an escape from the bullying, teasing, and rumors. She had studied day and night, forcing herself to learn every ounce of material she could in order to graduate as early as possible. It had worked but it still left memories.</p><p>She could remember walking down the hallways alone, staring straight ahead while feeling glances from the other children. Those days were over though. Now, she was sitting next to the Avatar, wishing he would pay better attention to his studies.</p><p>“Look, it’s a turtleduck,” Yun whispered as he slid his finished origami across the table.</p><p>Rangi stared at it, “will you please just get to work?” Now was not the time for acting a fool.</p><p>Yun gave her a straight-faced stare, “will you please quit being the teachers pet?”</p><p>“What-,” Rangi’s eyes furrowed, “I’m not a teachers pet.”</p><p>“Yes, you are. Loosen up, straight A student.”</p><p>“You should straighten up and act like the student an Avatar should be,” she hissed back.</p><p>Yun was obviously taken aback by the response, but he continued his grin. “I think I’m going to keep acting like this simply because it annoys you.”</p><p>Rangi’s fist gripped tightly. Heat radiated from every corner of her body as she tried to control herself.</p><p>“Both of you.” Jianzhu turned around from writing on the board. “Yun, Rangi is right. You need to pay better attention to these studies. Do you want to be better than you past life, Kuruk?”</p><p>Yun bowed his head, “Yes, Sifu.”</p><p>The man turned to Rangi, “And you need to settle down, you’re beginning to make it sweltering hot in here.”</p><p>Rangi relaxed her shoulders and released her fists, “My apologies, Sifu Jianzhu.”</p><p>**********</p><p>“Oh! So close!” Yun yelled amidst his laughter. Kyoshi had her arms wrapped around her stomach as she joined the boy in loud amusement.</p><p>Rangi fell backwards in anguish as she chuckled in defeat. “How are you two so good at this?” She sat back up and looked at the scattered melon seeds across the ground. No matter how hard she tried to spit, her seeds just wouldn’t soar as far as theirs did.</p><p>Once everyone had control of themselves again, Kyoshi took a bite of her melon slice and moved a few seeds around in her mouth. She puckered her lips and with a strong puff of air, shot one of the seeds across part of the porch. It hit the ground and bounced just past Yun’s last shot.</p><p>Kyoshi’s arms shot into the air with her celebratory yell.</p><p>Yun pushed her. “Surely you cheated!” He fell into a fit of laughter again.</p><p>Rangi smiled again and chuckled, still hurting at the sides from their last round of fits. Never had she laughed so hard in her life and as she watched Kyoshi and Yun shove each other and joke around, she felt happy to spend the rest of her life with these two.</p><p>“What do you three think you’re doing?” A strict woman’s voice ceased all of the joy. All three of the teens stopped moving and talking, staring at each other in fear. “Rangi. I expected better from you!”</p><p>Rangi looked over to confirm her worst fear of seeing Auntie Mui, her face plum in anger and pulled straight as she looked over the three of them. “Sorry, Auntie Mui.”</p><p>“Don’t be sorry to me, be sorry to Hei-Ran later when I tell her what you three were doing. And Kyoshi, you’re the next person I would not expect this from.”</p><p>Yun looked up at the woman with a ridiculously large grin on his face. “And what about me?”</p><p>“No, I expect this nonsense behavior from you. Now, all three of you, pick up your mess now and get back to your duties.” She stood there with her arms crossed as they scrambled to pick up every last melon seed that they had spit. They continuously looked up and over at each other, stifling their laughter so as to not get into more trouble.</p><p>**********</p><p>It was a nice autumn day at the mansion. Yun was off from training and opted to spend his day lounging about in his quarters, leaving Rangi with nothing to do but kick rocks.</p><p>Rangi had told Yun that she still had a duty to be his bodyguard but he insisted that she take the day off as well. He was going to be laying around anyways so what was the point of her standing outside his door? She finally had rolled her eyes and stormed away.</p><p>She mumbled to herself about how apparently no one wanted her to do anything productive today. Her feet led her down several halls and out the door into the garden, near the turtle duck pond. She plopped down next to the water and groaned in frustration. All she wanted to do was her assigned job, was that truly too much to ask?</p><p>Her eyes glanced over at the turtleducklings that were watching her, unsure of what to do. The mother duck waddled over to stand in front of her small flock and honked at Rangi. “I didn’t do anything!”</p><p>The mother duck turned and escorted her turtleducklings away from Rangi, giving her one last honk of displeasure. With an eye roll, the girl let herself fall backwards onto the short grass. She stared up at the clouds before closing her eyes. The warmth of the sun was comfortable and a gentle cooling breeze grazed against her skin. Trees and bushes rustled quietly. It was rare for the garden to ever be this quiet.</p><p>A large bout of laughter in the distance filled the air and Rangi’s eyes snapped open. She sat up and looked around, spotting Kelsang and Kyoshi walking through gardens. Kyoshi had a bundle of large scrolls in her arms while Kelsang carried a parasol above their heads.</p><p>Rangi had never seen Kyoshi smile so widely before. It had always been soft or in amusement, but this was a large smile filled with elation. It was contagious, making Rangi grin and wonder what Kelsang was saying. The tall girl laughed again and replied back, making Kelsang laugh just as hard as her.</p><p>They walked along, not aware of Rangi spying on them from several bushes away. Once they were out of sight, the Firebender sat back and relaxed again. It had been just as warming as the sun to see Kyoshi that happy.</p><p>**********</p><p>Kelsang sat down across from Rangi and adjusted his robes. “Sometimes I wonder why we adopted the idea of carrying around so much fabric.” He chuckled but quickly silenced himself when he realized the girl didn’t respond in his intended manner. “My dear Rangi, you seem distraught. Do you mind if I ask why?”</p><p>She looked down at the ground. It was not often she trusted someone as much as she trusted Kelsang. But, they had spent many days already traveling too and from the Fire Nation. They would often meditate together, with Kelsang helping Rangi with different breathing exercises and techniques. Over the past year and a half, they had many conversations together, bound with hilarity and comfort. The large orange and yellow clad monk had become a father figure to her. It felt strange to admit to that, considering she still missed her actual father.</p><p>Her eyes closed as she continued looking down, “I don’t know how to handle a personal situation.”</p><p>Kelsang’s hand ran through his long beard while raising his eyebrows, “Well, you can tell me anything. No one else will find out, it will be between you and me, I promise.”</p><p>Her eyes flicked up to look at him quickly before settling back on the ground before her. “You won’t tell my mother?”</p><p>“Not even Hei-Ran will find out. What’s on your mind?”</p><p>Rangi didn’t know how to start. “Are monks and nuns accepting towards people that find attraction in their own gender?”</p><p>“Greatly.” The man’s hands rested gently on his knees. “We are accepting to all. Your attraction to any gender does not determine if you are an ethical human or not. It is your actions that tell the story.”</p><p>Rangi nodded and sat in silence for a moment, “I think, well, I know... I’m attracted to other girls, not so much boys.“ There was a little wave of relief across her shoulders. She had regretfully told Sergeant Zhu this information, so it felt cathartic to finally tell someone she loved and was close to.</p><p>Kelsang smiled. “That’s perfectly fine. You can love whoever you wish in this world, so long as you both treat each other with love and respect.”</p><p>“What? I never said I was in love with anyone!”</p><p>A devious smile ran across the monk’s face over her reaction, “Oh? Do you like someone here more than a friend, perhaps?”</p><p>Red flashed across her face, heat rising from her cheeks. “No! Um, well, maybe, I mean no. No.”</p><p>“That’s fine, if you don’t want to tell me then I don’t need to know.” Kelsang shrugged with a warming look, “you just tell me what you want to as the time comes.”</p><p>The monk opened his arms and Rangi accepted his hug. She pushed her face deep into his robes as tears rose to her eyes. “I’m scared to tell my mom.”</p><p>Kelsang hugged her tighter, “I’ve known your mother for many, many years and I can assure you that she wouldn’t love you any less.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Rangi sniffled.</p><p>“With my whole heart. And you’re not alone here.”</p><p>Rangi pulled back from the hug in both excitement and confusion. “What? Who?”</p><p>“It would go against my promises if I told you.” He looked down at her, the most gentle look in his eyes. “You will have to hear it from them yourself.”</p><p>A frown fell onto her face but it was quickly replaced with a small smile of gratitude. “Thank you, Kelsang, for everything.”</p><p>“And thank you for keeping an eye out on Kyoshi. I see all the extra work you’re doing to make sure she is safe too.” He placed his fists together and bowed deeply to her. “Spirits bless the woman that gets to have you by her side for the rest of their life. She is going to have the strongest, most dedicated, most honorable and beautiful partner ever.”</p><p>Rangi’s face grew warm as she looked back at the ground with a goofy smile. “One last thing, thank you for being just as much a father to me as you are to Kyoshi. It means a lot.”</p><p>“I’ll never replace Junsik, but that doesn’t mean I can’t support and love you.”</p><p>They hugged once more, but this time, Rangi began to fully cry into Kelsang’s shoulder, overwhelmed and relieved by his love and support.</p><p>**********</p><p>There was a knock at Rangi’s door that caused her to look up from the book she was reading. The door opened and Kyoshi walked in. Without any words, Rangi stood up and grabbed a cushion and placed it near the table. She already had hot tea set out for them and books piled high. A few weeks earlier, Rangi had overheard two servants wondering how Kyoshi was the Avatar’s servant even though she couldn’t read or write. The friend took it into her own hands and convinced Kyoshi to agree to daily lessons.</p><p>Rangi looked up at Kyoshi and immediately noticed something was off. She stormed over to the girl, reached up to grab her chin, and forced her head to tilt to the right. There were several small scratches om her cheek and jaw. A bruise was developing just underneath.</p><p>“Who did this to you?” she growled.</p><p>Kyoshi’s eyes looked down to avoid Rangi’s intense gaze. “It’s nothing.”</p><p>The Firebender let go of Kyoshi’s face and dipped into her view. She wasn’t going to let this go. Too often Rangi had seen physical bullying at the Academy and if it wouldn’t have disgraced her mother’s honor, she would have thrown herself in the middle of every fight she could. She would have fought her own battles too but doing so would have made matters worse. Now, though, she was able to pick the ticket and defend whoever she saw fit.</p><p>“Kyoshi. Seriously, who did this to you? Was it Someone here?”</p><p>Kyoshi finally looked into Rangi’s eyes. “No.”</p><p>“Ah, so it was someone else? You didn’t just magically run into a wall?” Rangi continued to lock eyes with Kyoshi until she got an answer.</p><p>The tall girl shrugged. “There are a few kids in the village. It’s mostly a girl named Aoma. It’s fine, Rangi. I’m not trying to create any conflict. I’m just going to maintain neutral jing and-“</p><p>Rangi lost it. “Neutral jing? At a time like this?” She clenched her fists and expressed her aggravation loudly. “What is it with Earthbenders and their neutral jing? If someone is actively beating you up, why are you letting them continue on? It’s just teaching them that they can continue doing so at their leisure. Kyoshi, sometimes you need to react and stand up for yourself!”</p><p>Kyoshi shrugged again. She looked at Rangi again and smiled. “Besides, it’s not like it happens often.”</p><p>Rangi threw her hands in the air and walked away while shaking her head. She placed her hands over her face before groaning in aggravation. “Kyoshi. Why do you insist on giving me the biggest headaches?”</p><p>“You make it too easy, Rangi.”</p><p>She looked up from her hands and over at the other girl. Kyoshi was grinning ear to ear in amusement and Rangi smiled within despite the mounting frustration. It was now, in this moment, that she decided if she ever came across anyone that bullied her friend, she would teach them to never mess with her again. If Kyoshi wasn’t going to stand up for herself, Rangi was gladly willing to make the sacrifice.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Separate by PVRIS</p><p>“Nerves on fire, your hand in mine<br/>I wouldn't mind if I died<br/>I'm by your side<br/>Tonight I'll give you my life<br/>There's always been a disconnect<br/>Running from my heart to my head<br/>And no it's never made much sense<br/>I'm still feeling so distant<br/>Can you be the one to connect?<br/>Pick up all the pieces again?<br/>And pull away the world from me<br/>I don't mind<br/>As long as they don't separate you from me<br/>I'll be fine”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Year Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Year three at the Avatar Yun’s mansion.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Short and sweet.</p><p>Next chapter is going to be a big one so I thought I’d leave this one light.</p><p>As always... thank you for reading, commenting, and giving kudos! It is all very much appreciated!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rangi stood next to the doorway, standing at attention while a small band loaded in. Small drums, a tsungi horn, several erhu, and a variety of wind instruments all came through the door. Today, Yun was going to begin learning traditional Fire Nation dances. It was going to be fun to see how well he caught on.</p><p>“Well! I just don’t know what we are going to do!”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide as the instructor came bursting into the room. He stopped in the doorway. “Where is Hei-Ran? Oh, there you are. My second instructor is held up with food poisoning and won’t be able to make it. Could you fill in?”</p><p>Hei-Ran raised her eyes. “I’m not the kind for dancing, but Rangi is plenty sufficient. She’s a natural for the art, actually.” Her mother looked in her direction with a state that could command a whole army. It was meant as intimidation to keep her daughter from protesting and it worked well and often.</p><p>The instructor audibly scoffed and looked to his right to give Rangi a look up and down. “This... soldier? Is good at dancing? Well, if you leave me no other choice.”</p><p>Her mouth was now agape, both due to insult and shock that this was happening. She had no desire to dance with Yun or be forced to hold his hand or ever be that close with him. Her eyes glanced from each person in the room. Jianzhu simply smiled back. Hei-Ran held a very smug look as she caught her daughter’s eyes and Kelsang was busy helping set up the band.</p><p>Yun stood in the middle of the temporary dance floor, a smile wider than the room on his face. When she slowly and solemnly walked over to him, he draped his arm around her neck and pulled her close. “I’m so excited to finally dance with you! You know, your mother has talked about how good of a dance partner you are so this seems like fate.”</p><p>Rangi couldn’t even force a smile. She just stared at the ground with wide, traumatized eyes. This last thing she had wanted here was for better to find out that she was actually great with dances. It made her appear too soft in comparison to the image she wished others to have. </p><p>When she looked up, Kyoshi was walking through the door. Her heart jumped and her stomach dropped. If Rangi was going to be forced to dance, that girl is who she wanted to dance with.</p><p>She wanted to hold Kyoshi close, arms wrapped around each other and holding hands. Her mind imagined Kyoshi twirling her and reeling her back in, their bodies pulled tight against each other as they smiled and laughed. She wanted to feel the warmth of them moving together.</p><p>Three years here and Rangi had tried everything to stop herself from falling for the girl. But, now she found herself feeling fully infatuated, unable to stop the train that was heading towards eventual disaster. She couldn’t help it though. Something about Kyoshi enveloped her and she was unsure about ever pulling away from the feeling. Was she worth the inevitable broken heart?</p><p>“Rangi, you ready?”</p><p>Yun’s voice broke her thoughts and gaze. Her attention went to the instructor as she forced some form of joy onto her face. “Oh, um, yes. What dance are we starting with?”</p><p>**********</p><p>“Wait, so she’s not from Yokoya?”</p><p>“No, dear. She was abandoned here by her parents.” Auntie Mui looked up from the paperwork on her desk and stared at Rangi over the rims of her half moon glasses. “They had made a deal with a farmer and once she became an inconvenience, she was booted onto the street, the poor kid.”</p><p>She shook her head before looking back at the spreadsheet. Rangi sat in an armchair that was placed in a corner next to the large desk in Auntie Mui’s kitchen office. The office was a disaster. Books and ledgers lay haphazardly on the shelves and everything was covered with a layer of dust and flour.</p><p>It angered Rangi with how much neglect Kyoshi had faced previously. How could someone do that to their child? How could they just leave the poor girl to die at the mismanagement of others?</p><p>“How long was she on the streets for?” Rangi inquired.</p><p>“Too long. Years. When Kelsang brought the girl in, I swear I could poke between every rib on her.” She shook her head in exasperation, “now look at her! She’s taller than a bean stalk and so strong.”</p><p>Rangi crossed her legs and sat deep into the chair. It was after hours at the mansion so she was dressed down in more casual robes without her armor. She had been feeling restless and was pacing through her room in thought when she decided to help Auntie Mui finish a few of her daily ledgers. </p><p>The woman in charge began to speak again, “She’s very sweet, isn’t she? </p><p>The soldier nodded absentmindedly. “She is.”</p><p>“You okay, sweetie?”</p><p>Rangi looked over to see the woman staring at her. “I’m fine. I guess I just have a lot on my mind.”</p><p>“You carry a lot on your shoulders for a fifteen year old. It might serve you well to relax a little and remember to be a child sometimes.” She tapped her finger on the desk to accent her point.</p><p>“I know, Auntie. It’s difficult to remember that.”</p><p>“I know you Fire Nation folks are stubborn and hold tight to your honor, but if it’s Yun you’re worried about, I would say don’t be. This mansion is well guarded and no one here is ever going to hurt him.” She leaned forward and placed her hand on Rangi’s knee.</p><p>“You’ve talked before about wanting more responsibility. Your time will come to show the world who you are, but you must be patient.” Auntie Mui now patted the girl’s knee before standing up. “Okay, now it is late and you need to get to sleep. Go on, get out of here.” The woman walked to the door and opened it to show the girl out.</p><p>Rangi stood up and slowly walked from the room, but not without a large side hug from Auntie Mui. She could feel her shoulders grinding in their sockets from the grip. “Thank you for your help. Good night, sweet Rangi.”</p><p>“Good Night, Auntie Mui. And thank you for the advice.”</p><p>**********</p><p>The party was so boring that Rangi could hardly stand it. Her entire night was spent next to Yun, who was either talking to delegates and nobles or hitting on girls. She would scoff under her breath and roll her eyes at every line he tried to use with the innocent ladies. The boy was beginning to become insatiable.</p><p>Not only did she have to deal with that, everything felt lackluster in comparison to the vibrant and busy Fire Nation parties. There was hardly any entertainment. The food was bland and with not enough heat. Her mother needed to talk to Jianzhu about hosting better events.</p><p>As the night wore on, everyone began to slowly file out and the Avatar finally made his exit. They walked next to each other down the halls, Yun had been rambling on about the girls he had talked to all night when he suddenly placed his arm around Rangi’s waist and pulled her closer.</p><p>Her eyes glanced to the side and could see the grin on his face. “I heard you sighing and scoffing all night. Were you jealous?”</p><p>Rangi rolled her eyes so hard that it almost hurt. “Hardly. I’m more jealous of the fact that Kyoshi didn’t have to attend that party.”</p><p>“She’s got it easy, doesn’t she? So do you though, hanging around the Avatar all day.” Yun gripped her a little tighter. “I’m lucky I get to look at two beautiful young ladies every day.”</p><p>The girl grabbed his hand and removed it from her waist. “Yun, for a year now I have been telling you, I’m not interested.”</p><p>“Rangi, come on. I think you’re cute, you think I’m cute. We are always around each other and there’s great chemistry.”</p><p>She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to Yun with her eyes narrowed. “I do not think you’re cute.”</p><p>“Sure you do!”</p><p>“No, Yun, I don’t. I don’t think any boy is cute.” Her hands were now crossed across her torso as she leaned in towards her friend.</p><p>Yun now narrowed his eyes. “I knew it, you like girls, don’t you?”</p><p>Rangi stood up straight, her mouth jutted to the side. “Perhaps.”</p><p>The boy nodded as he touched his chin in thought. “That explains you and Kyoshi...”</p><p>“Wait, what? What about me and Kyoshi?”</p><p>A mischievous smile crept onto the boy’s face. “You are always looking at her. I’ve seen how you adjust your uniform when she comes walking in. You clear your throat and push back your cute little loose hairs. When we leave, you always wonder a lot about what Kyoshi is doing in the meantime. You talk about her a lot, actually.”</p><p>Rangi scoffed. “I do not!” She could feel warmth rising to the surface of her blushing cheeks.</p><p>Yun chuckled, “Oh, but you do. And the way you are getting flustered now indicates to me that I’m correct. She’s your weakness, isn’t she?” He crossed his arms with pride, shining in the newly discovered information.</p><p>Rangi stood there speechless. Kyoshi was a weakness that she had finally been building a wall around and in a matter of a few claims, Yun had managed to tear it down.</p><p>Yun shrugged, moving on from the conversation. “Funny enough, I know something that you don’t, but you were mean to me all night at the party so I guess you will never find out.”</p><p>“What do you know?” Rangi’s eyes narrowed again. Was it something that Kyoshi had told him?</p><p>The Avatar began his journey down the hall, leaving his bodyguard standing in confusion in front of her bedroom door. “I’m the Avatar, Mistress Rangi. I see all and I know all,” he called out from down the hall. “Good night, my little flame.” </p><p>And with that, Yun walked into his room and closed the door, leaving Rangi to wonder what his words meant. </p><p>***********</p><p>“Why are going easy today?” Hei-Ran yelled out to her daughter.</p><p>Rangi grunted with effort as she shot a flame towards her mother, trying to stay focused on the training. Everything felt hazy today and she was having difficulty reading attacks and responding. Her feet carefully and slowly moved across the earthen beam as Hei-Ran quickly sent another offensive attack her way.</p><p>She tried to counter it with a kick but lost her balance and fell to the ground face first with a thud. Her vision was going blurry as her body didn’t want to move from exhaustion. For the first time in a long time, she felt genuinely weak.</p><p>“Rangi!” Footsteps came running over to her and she soon felt her mother’s hand on the middle of her back as Hei-Ran knelt down next to her. “Rangi, what happened?”</p><p>She laid there, embarrassed. The misstep and the lack of correct form was going to send her mother over the edge and she was going to spend the rest of the morning doing repetitions. Tears collected in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. How many hot squats do I have to do?”</p><p>“Rangi, I know you don’t make mistakes like this. What is going on? Are you feeling unwell?”</p><p>She kept her eyes closed and took deep breaths as she began speaking into the ground. “I’m really tired and sore. I’ve been training a lot more to challenge myself.”</p><p>“Come on. Let’s get you in the shade and we can talk about this more.” Hei-Ran helped her daughter off the ground and held onto her as they slowly walked towards a bench under the tree where they placed their canteens. Rangi felt sick to her stomach as she slowly sat down on the ground and leaned against the bench.</p><p>Hei-Ran kneeled next to her. “How much have you been training?”</p><p>Rangi looked down at her hands. They were covered in dirt with little pebbles pushed into her skin. “Three to four times a day,” she mumbled.</p><p>“Rangi! Are you serious, young lady?” Hei-Ran’s voice was sharp now. “For how long?”</p><p>“About a month.”</p><p>“Everyday?” The only answer Rangi gave to that question was a nod. Hei-Ran took a deep breath. “Do you know how irresponsible that is? If you want more of a challenge, then ask me and I will make our practices in the morning more difficult. You can’t just add on extra training sessions and expect-“</p><p>“I am really scared of disappointing you!” Rangi blurted out, raising her voice just over the volume of her mother. There was a quip of silence before she continued, this time with a softer tone and tears beginning to run down her face. </p><p>“I really want you to be proud of me and I was beginning to plateau in my skills. It made me feel like I wasn’t keeping up with your expectations so I pushed myself more.” Rangi removed one of her arm bracers and threw it to the ground in frustration and wiped her face with the now available sleeve fabric.</p><p>“I see,” Hei-Ran responded. She leaned forward and took hold of one of Rangi’s hands. “I am very proud of you and I’m sorry if you ever doubted that. You have so much passion and strength. You’re beautiful and smart and despite the temper that flares up, you are filled with kindness.</p><p>“My dear, you exceed every expectation and hope and dream that I have ever had for you. I couldn’t have asked the Spirits for a better daughter.” She gently squeezed Rangi’s hand. “Now, you’re going to take the next two days off to rest and recover. Understand?”</p><p>Rangi nodded in agreement and wiped her face again to prevent any more tears from falling. Her mother pulled her into a hug and she immediately burrowed her face into the shoulder of the woman.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Year Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Year four of Rangi at the mansion, plus the spicy kelp incident.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*****PLEASE NOTE THE NAME CHANGE FOR THIS FIC*****</p><p>Oof! This was a big one to write and edit, but this is where the journey fully begins! Thank you for you patience as I pieced this one together. It was a extremely fun chapter to write! Please be sure look to the notes at the end of the chapter to get insight on where this fic is officially heading.</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rangi woke up to a pounding headache and sore body. She slowly rolled out of bed, resting her head against her hands and she rubbed her temples. Her forehead felt warmer than usual and her eyes burned in exhaustion. Looking up at the mirror on the wall didn’t help either. Any and all color was flushed from her skin and her hair was tousled and coated in sweat. </p><p>Going back to sleep felt like a wonderful idea. Duty called though. She couldn’t take the day off just because she felt under the weather. That was not the Fire Nation way of doing things. It was her duty to serve the Avatar day in and day out, regardless of how she felt. </p><p>Slowly and sorely, she got out of bed and changed into her uniform, strapped her armor on, and  pulled her hair up into a respectable bun. She was ready to take on the world! At least that's what she said to herself in an obvious lie. Her entire body continued to ache and shiver. </p><p>With every ounce of effort she could muster, Rangi opened the door and began to leave her room. She was met by unexpected bright light through the windows and Kyoshi sitting in an armchair across from her room. The girl looked up briefly from the bundle of fabric in her lap that she was fixing.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Rangi’s weak voice cracked.</p><p>Kyoshi simply kept on with the patchwork. “Sitting around, waiting to see if you need anything.”</p><p>Both of her hands instinctively rested on her hips now. “Why would I need anything? Shouldn’t you be waiting on Avatar Yun to need something?” </p><p>“Avatar Yun is gone for the next two weeks with Jianzhu and Hei-Ran. I was told to serve you in the meantime, considering you are sick.” Kyoshi raised her eyebrows while never looking up.</p><p>Rangi stood there for a moment, thinking over what she was just told. “Fire Nationals don’t get sick! Wait. The trip! How did I forget?” She panicked and rushed back inside her room and yanked her already packed bag off the floor. With haste, she darted back through the door and began speeding down the hall. She was running late. Her mother was going to have her head for this untimely error.</p><p>“They already left!” Kyoshi’s voice called out to her.</p><p>Rangi came to a sudden stop as it felt like her head caught up with her several seconds later. She gasped laboriously before turning around, trying to look somewhat dignified as her lungs burned from the small amount of exertion. “What do you mean they left?” </p><p>“It’s early afternoon now. Hei-Ran came by this morning to get you and you were still asleep with a growing fever. She got you medicine from the healer but you were out of it at the time so you probably don’t remember. Yun said it was fine if you stayed here to rest and he instructed me to take care of you, if you should need anything.” Kyoshi now stood up and gently ushered her arms towards the bedroom door.</p><p>“I know it’s hard for you to not serve your pride and honor daily but I’ve had a fever before and I can assure you, you need your rest. Come on.” </p><p>Rangi huffed in anger and stormed back to her room, tears building up in her eyes. She felt awful and now was upset about missing the big trip with Yun. With a sharp turn, she grabbed the door and glared at her friend. “Well, I don’t need anything so you’re wasting your time!” She forcefully slammed the door in Kyoshi’s face and immediately leaned against the doorframe inside.</p><p>Little tears began to fall from her eyes. They felt cooling against her overheated, flushed skin. She quickly wiped them away with the palms of her hands and sighed when her stomach turned with hunger. It only seemed right that her body would now demand something after she yelled at her friend.</p><p>With trepidation, she cracked the door open and poked her face out the bottom half of the opening, seeing Kyoshi sitting in the chair across the hall once more. “Kyoshi... I... can you get some food and more medicine?”</p><p>“Of course. I’ll be right back. And I won’t ask why you're all the way down there.” Kyoshi stood up with a caring smile and walked off towards the kitchen. The Firebender closed the door then slowly stood to her feet, gingerly removing her armor.</p><p> </p><p>A soft knock came to the door before it opened, revealing Kyoshi and one other servant helping her carry a few small trays. Rangi sat on the edge of a reading chair, armorless but still in uniform, and watched them place everything down on the round table that was in the middle of her large living quarters. </p><p>They began to leave as quickly as they came but as Kyoshi was walking out behind the other servant, Rangi cleared her throat. “Kyoshi.”</p><p>The girl stopped and turned towards her. “Yes?”</p><p>Rangi carefully walked towards the table and nudged a cushion from underneath with her foot. “Join me. I mean, are you hungry? Have you had lunch yet?”</p><p>Kyoshi stared at her for a moment before smiling. “I could eat.” She closed the door and walked over to the table. Rangi broke and let a small notion of happiness quickly run across her face before forcing it away.</p><p>They both sat down. “This is quite a bit of food and I prefer it not to go to complete waste. I guess Auntie Mui didn’t know my appetite was a little low. Help yourself.”</p><p>Kyoshi hesitated at first but joined in with eating a few things here and there. She noticed that the girl ate a lot less than Rangi had expected. On the other hand, Rangi quickly enjoyed a portion of each food plate before speaking while holding up a dumpling. “These are similar to the ones back home in the Fire Nation. The mochi is good too, try it.”</p><p>She looked over at the servant girl. “Relax. We have been friends for four years now, alright?”</p><p>A small grin fell on Kyoshi’s face. “I’m not used to you being so nice. Where’s the finger on my chest and the raised voice?”</p><p>Rangi’s face fell flat. “This is the response I get for being nice?”</p><p>“I’m just teasing you.” Kyoshi was now smiling in amusement as she looked down at Rangi. The soldier looked right into her green eyes and felt her heart begin the race. She blinked and looked away, doing her best to suppress everything she felt boiling up.</p><p>“Thank you for sending the healer, by the way. The medicine reduced the fever a lot and quickly too.” Rangi poured two cups of melon juice and slid one to her friend. They both took a sip.</p><p>Kyoshi placed the cup down quietly. “I’m glad you’re feeling better already, but you will still need rest. How are you even sitting upright?”</p><p>“At the Academy and Junior Corps, there was no such thing as missing a day due to sickness. You just had to push through it.” She looked down at her lap when a sudden urge of disappointment pulsed through her.</p><p>“This was supposed to be my first big mission with the Avatar. The past few years have been just small things around the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. We were going to the Northern Air Temple this time. Now, I’m stuck here for several days because Yun thought I was weak and should stay behind.” Rangi’s fingers tightly rolled into fists and she slammed them onto the table top. Bowls and plates jumped off the surface a little before touching back down with a clatter.</p><p>She let her head and shoulders drop in defeat, slumping over until her forehead touched the edge of the table. “You have no idea how much this hurts. I feel the opposite of proud, I feel like a let down.”</p><p>Rangi felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder. She looked over to see Kyoshi staring at her with such beautifully kind eyes. It already made her feel better. “Yun was just looking out for you. How can you be the best bodyguard in the world when you’re not in your best health? He needs you around for a long time.”</p><p>The Firebender slowly sat up and nodded. “I guess.”</p><p>“You should get some rest. I’ll make sure the healer comes by with some more medicine later and I’ll check on you as well.” Kyoshi stood up and began clearing the table. Rangi didn’t move or speak, but instead just watched her gather everything up in silence before heading towards the door once again.</p><p>“Kyoshi-“</p><p>She turned promptly. “Yes, Rangi?”</p><p>Rangi stared at her. The small fever was beginning to make her emotional and upset. There were a lot of things she could say to fill the sudden void. How badly she wanted her to just stay. How much she wanted to kiss her. How long she had been head over heels for her. There were many things she wanted to say but she would likely take them to her grave. She felt ridiculous that these thoughts were often all that filled her mind if not intently focused on her duties to the Avatar. </p><p>Now she didn’t know how to fill in the blanks. “Thank you for having lunch with me.” Her face twisted at the awkwardness.</p><p>Kyoshi smiled and gave a little bow. “Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll be around the wing.” The door closed and Rangi stood up carefully. The medicine was really starting to kick in now and her body was succumbing to the power.</p><p>She stripped off her uniform and just let it fall to the ground. Her exhaustion was coming in like a freight train as she crawled back into bed and laid down. </p><p>**********</p><p>After two days, Rangi recovered and was back to patrolling the compound even while Yun was away. Though, it was a little different this time because she spent her entire day with Kyoshi. They never left each other's sides and they got to enjoy some actual quality time together.</p><p>Kelsang and Rangi spent extra time teaching Kyoshi how to read and write while everyone was away. The two friends took lunch together everyday and Kelsang would join them for dinner. The monk stayed behind from the trip, just in case Kyoshi had needed any help taking care of Rangi.</p><p>During the day, Rangi would often stand out of the way, either leaned up against a wall or in the corner of the room, and wait for Kyoshi to finish any chores around the mansion. She observed the way that the servant girl got her work done in a timely manner. And how Kyoshi never stopped until the job was done. She never took breaks and would oftentimes overwork herself, even passed Rangi’s standards. </p><p>There were a few times where Auntie Mui would have to shove Kyoshi down the corridor, berating her for not taking better care of herself.</p><p>“Watch that one, she likes to forget about meals and she throws herself too deep into small tasks,” Auntie Mui mumbled to Rangi one afternoon. It made her giggle as she looked over at Kyoshi shrugging back to her. The girl was obviously going to keep on doing those things and at that moment, Rangi was able to put another word on her list to describe Kyoshi: surprisingly stubborn. </p><p>Their time spent together filled Rangi with comfort and enjoyment. It felt easy to be around Kyoshi. The two weeks were short-lived, and while Rangi was happy to get back to work and her old routine, there was a big part of her sad to see her time with Kyoshi disappear.</p><p>**********</p><p>Finally, Rangi had finished her last training in the Junior Corp and was an Officer of the Fire Nation Army. Second Lieutenant Rangi had a nice ring to it and she smiled to herself at the thought. It was something she had been working towards for a long time now and it was only going to be uphill from here. Though her mother wanted Rangi to follow her own path of success within the military, the girl couldn’t help but dream of becoming better and higher ranked than the woman. </p><p>The journey would take a long while but Rangi was here for the long haul. She had dreamed of being a soldier since she was a small child when she saw both of her parents in their formal uniforms and armor, standing tall and proud during their rank ceremonies.  </p><p>She stood at the top of a hill and watched the newest Junior Corp recruits get sent through their rights of passage. They were shoved into lines and yelled at, forced to do extra workouts if they didn’t move quick enough. It was nice looking down and remembering where she once stood.</p><p>“I thought I saw you around here.”</p><p>The sudden voice behind her hit a nerve but she remained calm. “Koulin, I wasn’t expecting to run into you today. How are you?”</p><p>“Cut the small talk, Sei’naka,” the girl snarled. Koulin now stood next to Rangi, looking down at the Junior Cadets as well. “Pathetic, aren’t they?”</p><p>Rangi gave her an unamused side glance. “We were once in their shoes. It wasn’t so pathetic back then, was it?”</p><p>“Never in my life have I been pathetic,” Koulin scoffed.</p><p>Rangi turned to her and quickly looked the girl up and down. Her round face made Rangi’s blood boil. “Why did you insist on being mean all the time? Especially when we were back at the Academy?”</p><p>The Saowon girl rolled her eyes. “I had my reasons, the biggest one being that you were always the teacher's pet. You were the lucky one whose mother was the headmistress.”</p><p>“I wasn’t lucky. I had to work extremely hard for my grades and to get to where I am today. And I could never tell anyone about all the things people said because my mother was the headmistress.”</p><p>“I know.” Koulin turned and finally looked Rangi dead in the eyes. “I was hoping everything would beat you down enough that you would just have to leave or that you would finally snap and I could be top of class, but you always managed to stay one step ahead.”</p><p>“Well, there has to be a second place in order for first to exist,” Rangi let the words flow from her mouth, with years of bullying fueling her fire. “Now that we are done with Academy and Junior Corp, the next time you insult my honor or any member of my clan, I will be challenging you to an Agni Kai.”</p><p>“Oh, Rangi. I can’t wait for that day to arrive,” Koulin glared before walking away.</p><p>Rangi growled deeply as she clenched her fists. It felt like she could never catch a break from the girl that was her enemy. Koulin had spent years at Rangi’s throat, sending weaker cronies to spread rumors about her mother. Rangi had told her mother once what was going on and the woman simply dismissed it, telling her daughter to not do anything brash.</p><p>Every day she had to deal with it, it pained her more and more. It was torture listening to her family’s name get dirt kicked onto it repeatedly. But, she had remained stoic like her mother had asked of her. Now that she was out of school and acting on her own accord, things were going to change. </p><p>If it’s one thing Rangi had learned from her ordeals at the Academy and Junior Corp, it was what her honor truly meant to her. And it meant doing everything in her power to protect the people she loved.</p><p>********** </p><p>Once all the guests from Yun’s sixteenth birthday celebration had left, the three friends sat cross legged in the middle of the gift receiving room, each of them holding a small plate of cake. They enjoyed the pleasantries while basking in the silence for a few minutes.</p><p>Yun looked up from his plate. “How many Pai Sho boards did I rack in today, Kyoshi?”</p><p>The girl looked over her shoulder and counted. “Eight. Bringing your total up to an impressive thirty two now.” Kyoshi raised her eyebrows while nodding.</p><p>“Yes! Record breaking!” Yun reached out a hand towards Kyoshi and she responded, giving him a normal high-five while he slammed his hand into hers.</p><p>“You realize you can’t keep them all, right?” Rangi looked at the Avatar while taking a bite of the delicious cake. She had honestly never had something this sweet be so delicious. Auntie Mui once again pulled out all of the stops to make sure the food was more than delectable.</p><p>“Now, don’t be jealous of my worldly collection.” The boy looked at her while gesturing to the pile of gifts.</p><p>“I’m not. What I’m saying is that there is no way you are going to play thirty two games of Pai Sho at one time.” The glare on Rangi’s face obviously triggered Yun’s mischievousness. He knew how to quickly get under her skin.</p><p>“Now, wouldn’t that be a fun sight? But-,” his hand shot into the air with emphasis “-Mistress Rangi, there is no need to argue with your Avatar about this.” </p><p>She took a loud, deep breath. “Once again, I’m n-.”</p><p>“Mistress Rangi, please calm yourself. You are acting very hostile right now. As your Avatar, I demand you calm down.”</p><p>Kyoshi held her hand up to her mouth to cover a smile and to stifle any laughter. This reaction only elicited further action from Yun. Rangi deadpan stared between the two of them. “Yun, please, don’t-“</p><p>Yun leaped up onto his feet and pointed at the Firebender. “I demand you to calm down, you crazy Firebender! Or else I will have to detain you!” He walked behind Rangi and into her blindsight. Suddenly, he was leaning over her and smearing his finger across the tip of her nose.</p><p>Rangi yelped in surprise and her head retracted as her eyes looked down the middle of her face before looking up at Kyoshi. “There’s icing on my nose, isn’t there?” She was at a loss. Never once had she dealt with something like this. A new challenge.</p><p>Kyoshi choked back her giggling but eventually gave in. She leaned back as her lungs filled the air with joy and amusement. Rangi scoffed and snorted a few times before the laughter of her friends became contagious. She broke and eventually had to hold her stomach and sides from the hilarity of what happened.</p><p>Yun came between them and draped an arm over each of their necks. He yanked them in close together, accidentally bringing both Rangi and Kyoshi’s faces uncomfortably close together. Rangi’s heart skipped a beat for a moment and a warm blush covered her face before he let up a little.</p><p>“I’m the luckiest Avatar, having you two as friends! I can’t wait for the adventures we have waiting ahead.”</p><p>***********</p><p>Rangi and Yun walked together to his training with Hei-Ran. They had taken the long route through the yard that buffered the entrance of the property and the entrance to the mansion. There were some days where Yun wanted to take the route in order to avoid the visitors that always awaited him around every corner of the compound.</p><p>Yun was talking about how exhausting his fire bending training was and how strict Rangi’s mother was with forms. The girl couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “You think I don’t know that? She’s been training me my entire life! You’re the Avatar so she is more strict with you than with regular students, but try being her daughter.”</p><p>“I don’t know how you-“</p><p>Rangi hushed him and crouched down, dragging him with her. She stared intently at four figures walking down the path, coming just over the hill. “Kyoshi, but who are the other three?” she whispered.</p><p>Yun had immediately caught on to what his bodyguard was staring at and tried to creep up just a little closer towards the scene. “I don’t know. Isn’t that the one girl who bullies Kyoshi in town? And is that my spicy pickled kelp floating above her?”</p><p>Rangi growled under her breath as she clenched her fists. “Never mind your kelp, Yun. Kyoshi obviously needs some help. Head on to the training fields and I’ll handle this problem.”</p><p>Her friend gave her a pat on the back, “Good luck, tigerdillo. I’ll be watching from afar. I doubt you’ll need my help but just in case.”</p><p>Rangi nodded and took a step into the tall grass, staying crouched and never taking her eyes off of her prey as she gritted her teeth. She carefully stepped, gently placing her feet on the ground so as to maintain silence. As she approached, she could hear the conversation.</p><p>“I don’t know what our parents were thinking, selling these fields to a Ganjinese.”</p><p>“Maybe they knew the land was as worthless and unproductive as their children.” That voice was very familiar and Rangi grinned with pride at the response Kyoshi gave. She loved when Kyoshi would actually speak her mind. It was refreshing compared to her usual neutral jing. There was plenty of truth in those words too. Rangi had always been less than impressed with the work ethic of the people in Yokoya.</p><p>Then, they all stopped walking. Rangi continued to spy from her place in the tall grass. She watched as Kyoshi turned around to look at her three assailants. Her eyes shifted over as well. The one obviously in charge was still holding the large vessel in the sky while the two behind her clinched their fists.</p><p>Come on, Kyoshi. Don’t just stand there. Rangi thought as she scrunched her face in anger. She had praised the girl too soon about not using neutral jing. Kyoshi rose onto the tips of her toes to give her even more height advantage, but otherwise, she closed her eyes and steeled herself for impact. This scene was all too familiar and Rangi vowed to herself to protect Yun’s servant as well. </p><p>Before the two harassers could approach any closer, Rangi stepped out from the grass and stared them down. Peace was no longer an option. “What do you think you’re doing?,” she snarled.</p><p>The two younger teens stopped in their tracks, staring at her as if they were about to meet their end. They backed away, shuffling slowly as if to not further disturb a roughly awoken predator. Rangi stared them down as she clenched and unclenched her fists. She stood tall and proud in her armor, making herself appear as large as possible. It was not an easy feat with Kyoshi standing next to her. A surge of adrenaline and anger coursed through her veins. No one was going to harm her friend anymore.</p><p>Without flinching, the girl holding the vessel above Kyoshi spoke up. “The Avatar’s bodyguard,” she said with a grin. “I thought you weren’t supposed to leave his side. Aren’t you slacking off?”</p><p>Her eyes shifted side to side. “Or is he here somewhere?”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes narrowed as she looked down her nose at the challenger in front of her. “You’re not authorized to be on these grounds,” she said, deepening her voice to appear more threatening. She pointed upward at the jar of kelp. “Nor to lay your hands on the Avatar’s property. Or accost his household staff, for that matter.” She pointed towards Kyoshi now, never breaking her stare.</p><p>It was easy to tell that the girl in front of her was slowly losing her shield of confidence, but she was insistent, nonetheless. “This container is enormous,” she said, shrugging to make apparent how in control she was of the large item. “It would take two grown men to lift it without earthbending. Kyoshi asked us to help her bring it inside the house. Right?”</p><p>Rangi could have laughed at the outright lie. The little assailant underestimated how well the Firebender knew Kyoshi. Stating that Kyoshi was too weak to carry the oversized jar was inaccurate. Rangi knew her friend was more than strong enough to complete the task. Why else would she have been sent alone? And to say that Kyoshi asked for help, that is what truly amused her. Kyoshi never asked for help, even when she legitimately needed it. Too often the girl thought she was a burden and would rather suffer alone before asking someone to assist her.</p><p>The Firebender stepped forward. She tightened her jaw and stared the girl down even more aggressively. The heat within her rose as she prepared to give someone a taste of their own medicine. </p><p>“Put the jar down, walk away, and don’t come back,” she said. “Unless you want to know what the ashes of your eyebrows smell like.”</p><p>That was the little push it took to finally destroy her opponent. Or so she thought. The girl smiled, baring her teeth. It angered Rangi even further.</p><p>“Sure,” she said. “Thought you’d never ask.” With a fling of her hands, the jar rocketed straight up into the air, past the treetops.</p><p>“You’d better find someone who’s authorized to catch that.” She backed away and sprinted down the path with the other two annoyances.</p><p>“You little-” Rangi took a handful of steps forward, her hands cocked and ready to fight, but she stopped herself. There was now an even bigger problem at hand. She walked back over to Kyoshi, letting herself cool down while looking up at the jar. </p><p>With a sharp elbow to Kyoshi’s side, she nonchalantly said, “Catch it. Use earthbending and catch it.”</p><p>“I - I can’t,” Kyoshi responded back, quavering in dismay. They both watched the doomed charge reach the apex of it’s flight. Rangi knew this was not going to end well if Kyoshi didn’t catch the flying cargo. </p><p>She would not give up on Kyoshi. “What do you mean you can’t? The staff ledgers have you listed as an Earthbender! Catch it!” </p><p>“It’s not that simple!” Kyoshi raised her voice in slight panic.</p><p>Why was she being so difficult about bending? “Do the thing with your hands like she did!” Rangi formed the dual claws of the bridge stance in hopes of spurring any form of confidence into Kyoshi.<br/>
“Look out!” The next thing Rangi knew, she was being tackled and losing her breath from impacting with the ground. She lay there for a moment before realizing that Kyoshi was on top of her, the two of them entwined as her friend shielded her from the falling jar. The moment could have lasted forever if it wanted to, but Rangi couldn’t breathe. </p><p>“Get off of me, you oaf,” she muttered. She gasped as she hammered her fists against Kyoshi’s embrace. It was nice to be held in her arms, but not like this. She continued to flap her arms in hopes of release until Kyoshi finally stood up, extending an arm down to help Rangi up as well. </p><p>Rangi stood up and dusted herself off, looking over at the floating jar. Yun said he would be watching from afar and she was glad. It impressed her how strong of a bender he was, not just in shear strength but in distance as well. Not everyone could bend their element from this far out. She deducted the ability down to him being the Avatar.</p><p>She walked over to Kyoshi, who was giggling at something on the ground. There were pebbles in front of her laid out in communication.</p><p>What are my three favorite ladles doing today?</p><p>They shifted around.</p><p>Sounds like fun. Wish I could join you. </p><p>She rolled her eyes. “He knows we can’t reply, right?”</p><p>Dumplings, please. Any kind but leek. </p><p>“Enough!” Rangi shouted. “We’re distracting him from his training! And you’re late for work!” She swept away the pebbles with her foot. If Yun was late for his training with her mother, she didn’t want to hear it later. It would be all his fault.</p><p>Rangi stormed off back towards the mansion and could feel Kyoshi soon join her, staying just far enough behind. It irritated her how much Kyoshi refused to stand up for herself. The girl would take a rock to the head if it meant not furthering any conflict. She was in sheer disbelief that she almost witnessed Kyoshi willingly take multiple punches to appease her harassers. It made her blood boil until she could no longer hold it in.</p><p>“It’s pathetic!” Rangi didn’t even want to look at Kyoshi right now, that’s how angry she was getting over the incident. “The way they step on you. You serve the Avatar! Have some dignity!”</p><p>“I was trying to de-escalate the situation,” she murmured.</p><p>Rangi scoffed loudly at the reasoning. “You were going to let them hit you! I saw it!” She flung her arms into the arm, no longer being able to hold in the full extent of her emotions. “And don’t you dare try and claim you were doing neutral jing or whatever earthbending hooey!” </p><p>This wasn’t the first time Rangi had to get onto Kyoshi about something. She cared too much about the girl to just allow her to go through life letting people walk all over her. “And speaking of your earthbending! You were shown up by a peasant! How have you not mastered the basics by now? I’ve seen children in Yu Dao bend rocks bigger than that jar!”</p><p>She took a moment to think. “What we need to do is make a plan of revenge. We can use you as bait to bring them in. The other two were easy to chase away, so the most efficient course of action would be to surprise the leader - Aoma was it? - alone somewhere and then destroy her so messily that it sends a message to the others not to bother you anymore. Are you listening to me?”</p><p>At this point, she could feel that Kyoshi had zoned out and was just entertaining her. “Why resort to violence?” Kyoshi nudged her in the small of the back with the jar. “I have strong heroes like you to protect me.”</p><p>Rangi rolled her eyes and made a noise like she wanted to vomit. She would always be there to protect Kyoshi, but she sometimes wished she didn’t have to worry about her so much.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ahh! So it has been tough holding this one in! We are moving in the direction of this fic weaving in with The Rise of Kyoshi. That means that I will still be creating original content from Rangi's POV but it will also include Rangi's POV throughout the full book. This is definitely going to be a long haul fic and I *promise* I will still be posting Rangshi one shots to break up the monotony of writing chapter updates for this.</p><p>I hope this excites everyone as much as it excites me!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Promises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we are! Officially deep diving into ROK, but Rangi style! This one is relatively short and sweet.</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Four years of living at the mansion and it was still the ugliest mishap of colors and themes Rangi had ever seen. It was grand, she would give it that, but otherwise it was an eyesore. The place was kept in immaculate condition, with topiaries perfectly trimmed and not a single pebble falling from the paths that meandered through the large gardens.</p><p>They passed under the arch of the entrance, Rangi nodding at the two watchmen standing guard. They tensed and bowed to her. She knew they weren’t necessarily fans of how she kept charge around the mansion but she did what was needed to keep the Avatar protected.</p><p>Her eyes danced from person to person in the garden, examining them each. Constant observation had been trained into her by the military. There was never a moment that didn’t go unnoticed.</p><p>Despite the looks of the Avatar’s mansion, Rangi loved seeing so many diplomats and masters of the elements. Being surrounded by this many highly regarded individuals made her walk with more pride than usual.</p><p>Auntie Mui came bounding and bouncing over to the two girls, her face was red in a mix of anger and embarrassment. She whacked Kyoshi in her lower back, causing the girl to yelp and tense up while gripping tighter to the jar.</p><p>“Don’t carry food around where the guests can see it!” Auntie Mui hissed. “Use the service entrance!”</p><p>Before Rangi could explain that it was her fault, the woman was corralling Kyoshi down the tunnel used by the staff. She decided to follow them, increasing her stride to catch up. Her face winched as Kyoshi slammed her head against a support beam while still getting dragged back to the kitchen.</p><p>This hallway always reminded Rangi that despite the facade of grandeur, the mansion was an illusion to anyone other than those who lived or worked there. There were many spots in the underbelly where only servants traveled that were unfinished. Most of the beaming and walls were still raw and the smell of damp air hit her nose and made her want to sneeze.</p><p>While she respected Jianzhu, she often felt disappointment in how he had hastily handled the arrival of Avatar Yun.</p><p>She understood that it had been all too long since the Avatar had been found, but the process deserved a little more deliberation. It was a long path to become a fully realized Avatar and therefore, the rest of the perks should have flowed in the same manner. The architects of the Fire Nation would have burned this place to the ground and started again the moment they walked up to the place.</p><p>“You were out in the sun too long, weren’t you? Your freckles got darker again. Why don’t you ever wear that concealer I gave you?” Auntie Mui stated just loud enough for Rangi to overhear. While Rangi’s face stayed motionless, the inside of her mind twitched at the criticism. The vanity of the Earth Kingdom made her blood boil.</p><p>“What, and look like a bloodless ghost?” Kyoshi’s response made the Firebender smirk.</p><p>“Better than looking like someone sprinkled starpoppy seeds over your cheeks!”</p><p>Rangi made a note that she should compliment Kyoshi on her freckles later. From their many moments together, she had gathered that the girl had quite a few negative thoughts about herself and Rangi wasn’t going to allow more to be planted in her head. Besides, she really loved the little brown specks that covered Kyoshi’s nose and cheeks.</p><p>They climbed up a small set of stairs and Rangi was relieved that Kyoshi ducked in enough time. Her thoughts went right back to the double standards of the Earth Kingdom. Citizens were expected to work laboriously but hide the fact that they had done any work at all. It often felt as if they had only shame and no pride in their work or results. The only thing that mattered was appearances. Which was ironic, considering Yokoya looked mostly like a shanty town.</p><p>Eventually, they entered the kitchen and Rangi enjoyed the feeling of heat in the room. With all the stoves and fires going, it often reminded her of home. She stood next to Kyoshi, “don’t forget, you have gift duties tonight.”</p><p>Kyoshi looked shocked to see her there for a moment before Rangi continued. “Don’t waste too much time here. You’re not a scullery maid.”</p><p>She glanced around to catch some scowls from the kitchen staff. It didn’t bother her. She was above them in status, after all. The girl mostly held disdain for them because she had overheard them talking poorly about Kyoshi over the years and that, more than anything, told her everything she needed to know about their character.</p><p>Without another word, Rangi left, knowing that she was running low on time to get to daily tea with her mother. She would hear it from the woman if she was even a minute over expected time. The extra stress is what she got for going out of her way to continue following Kyoshi.</p><p>It was a few twists and turns through the hallways before she made it to her mother’s quarters. She opened the wooden door and was surprised to see Hei-Ran accompanied by Jianzhu. Rangi immediately stood at attention in the doorway.</p><p>“Master Jianzhu, what gives us the pleasure of you joining today?” She bowed before closing the door and continuing forward.</p><p>“We have a new assignment for you involving our trip to The Eastern Sea. Please, come sit.” Jianzhu ushered her towards a spot at the table as him and Hei-Ran sat down.</p><p>Rangi approached them, trying to avoid showing her hesitancy. She sat down and kept her hands in her lap. “What is my assignment?”</p><p>Jianzhu sighed and shook his head. “I do not understand why, but Yun has requested that Kyoshi come with us.”</p><p>“What?” Rangi snapped, unable to help herself. “What if- what if there is an escalation? She hardly uses her bending! And what if she gets killed?” The girl’s eyes shifted towards her mother, as if asking her for help.</p><p>“<em>Second</em> Lieutenant, control yourself,” Hei-Ran stated with a stern tone, with the word Second rolling off her tongue a little harsher than usual. It was intended to hurt Rangi’s pride in status.</p><p>“We have thought about that,” Jianzhu continued. “And I have informed him of our opinions in the matter. Both myself and Hei-Ran are not fond of the idea, but if Avatar Yun wants Kyoshi there, then we must abide by his wishes.</p><p>“Now, that means arrangements have changed a little. Master Amak and I will be guarding Avatar Yun. I need for you to keep an eye on Kyoshi, as that is what the Avatar has requested. Hei-Ran will work in tandem with you, in case any defensive force is needed. Understand?” He stared Rangi down.</p><p>She bowed her head. “Yes, Master Jianzhu.”</p><p>“Very good. I knew we could count on you to adjust.” The man gave a faint smile before drinking his tea.</p><p>Rangi glanced over at her mother, who was staring her down. Her eyes shifted to the table as she thought deeply about her new assignment for their upcoming treaty deal with Tagaka of The Fifth Nation. There was no absolute way of knowing how the situation would lay itself out, but she knew that she would never trust a pirate.</p><p>*****</p><p>After more briefings with the head of guardsmen, Rangi finally made her way to the receiving room to sit around with Kyoshi for a while before heading to sleep. She slid the door open with unintended gusto and was surprised to see Yun there and sitting awkwardly close to the girl. The sight made her stomach drop a little but she quickly pushed it away.</p><p>“Avatar.” She bowed deeply and solemnly to Yun. Then she turned to Kyoshi. “You’ve barely made any progress! Look at this mess!”</p><p>“We were waiting for you,” Yun said. “We decided to burn everything. You can start with those hideous silk robes in the corner. As your Avatar, I command you to light ‘em up. Right now.”</p><p>Rangi rolled her eyes. “Yes, and set the entire mansion on fire.” After all of the news she heard today and after her alone time with Kyoshi being subsequently ruined, she didn’t have the patience for his antics. She wasn’t going to have it. Not today.</p><p>“Exactly,” Yun said cheerily. “Burn it all to the ground. Reduce it back to nature. We’ll achieve pure states of mind.”</p><p>“You would start whining the moment you had to bathe with cold water,” Kyoshi teased. Rangi smirked, she wasn’t wrong.</p><p>“There’s a solution for that,” Yun said matter of factly. “Everyone would go to the river, strip down naked, grab the nearest Firebender, and- “</p><p>Rangi had enough and with speed, picked up a decorative pillow and threw it at her friend. Her eyes bore holes into the boy until he looked at her with a shocked expression. It was then that Rangi realized what she had done. She had assaulted the Avatar with a pillow. Yun may have been her friend, but that didn’t change the lines that she should not cross considering he was the Avatar.</p><p>Yun burst into laughter, quickly followed by Kyoshi. The two filled the room with contagious joy until Rangi began to chuckle. She covered her mouth with her hands to try and contain her giggling. It was working until another staff member walked past the room, shaking their head and frowning at the three nuisances disturbing the peace. They all stopped for a moment but once the older man was gone, all three friends burst into hysterics.</p><p>After a stress filled day of training, protecting Kyoshi from bullies, and several meetings in preparation of their big trip, this was exactly what Rangi needed. As the laughter subsided, she took her usual spot on the floor with her legs straight out as she leaned back with her hands behind her. It was a relief to finally be off duty.</p><p>*****</p><p>Back in her quarters, Rangi sat in her reading chair and stared at the wall. She was distracted from needing to pack. Thoughts of the upcoming travel weighed heavily on her and she tried to sort through why. Her confidence in the excursion had been unwavering until just earlier that day.</p><p>Something about Kyoshi joining them had struck her hard. At any moment, Rangi was ready to defend and die for the Avatar. That’s what her training had led to after all. It was her sworn duty. Now there was someone personal involved and a fear of losing Kyoshi rippled through her veins.</p><p>There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that their defenses would work if an escalation occurred. Their plan was flawless, even with the new addition. It wasn’t until today though, that Rangi had ever been posed with the idea that she could ever lose Kyoshi. It was always going to be the trio together, and yet part of her felt that while she would mourn for Yun, she would completely lose the ground beneath her feet if Kyoshi was ever taken from her.</p><p>Rangi shook the thoughts from her head and looked around her room. She gazed at the katana sitting propped in a stand on her bookcase. It had belonged to her father and she had brought it back after her first visit back to the Fire Nation four years ago. She couldn’t help but think that he would be proud of her now.</p><p>Her eyes continued to a portrait that made her eyes roll. It was a finely drawn headshot of Yun. A few months back, on her sixteenth birthday, he had gifted it to her as a joke. Yun now insisted that she kept it hung up on the wall so he could watch over her. His face looking at her in the privacy of her room was the last thing she wanted though.</p><p>Most of the time, it lay face down on a bookshelf. Every now and then, when Yun would spend time in her quarters simply and purposefully annoy her, he would find a way to hang the picture back up without her noticing. It made her smile and shake her head.</p><p>She stood up and walked from the little common room and into her bedroom, where she looked at all the clothes that still needed to be packed. This was her first mission where there was a lot riding on the line. If this failed, there were going to be major consequences. If it was successful, then stories of Yun and his team would sweep the Nations.</p><p>It had become easy to hide behind a shield of confidence and bravery. She had been doing just that since she was a young child in school and her military training only increased the skill. There was no moment where she was allowed to succumb to her fear.</p><p>That feeling entered her soul again when she looked at her bedside table and saw the red piece of sea glass sitting on top. Kyoshi had gone to the shore one day and brought it back, giving it to Rangi as a gift because it simply made her think of the Firebender. It felt ridiculous but she had kept it at her bedside over the past year.</p><p>She sighed and reluctantly began to fold her clothes and place them in her bag. Now was not the time to begin feeling too sentimental. It was time to focus and recount every part of the plan to herself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Iceberg</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They arrive at the Iceberg to meet with Tagaka.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The Iceberg is an extremely long chapter in ROK so I am breaking it up into two separate chapters here... sorry, not sorry! Think of it this way: you get more content, quicker!</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yun nudged Rangi’s foot with his and when she looked up from her hands, he nodded over towards a sleeping Kyoshi. Rangi looked over. She was dreaming of something and it did not look enjoyable. There was a small kick from her foot as her shoulders twitched. Her closed eyes fluttered as a frown formed on her face. It only worsened from there.</p>
<p>“Kyoshi!” Yun yelled over the sounds of wind and waves.</p>
<p>The sudden alert woke Kyoshi in a fright and she nearly sent herself careening over the side of Pengpeng’s saddle. She was almost more than waist over as she gripped to the side of the saddle. Rangi and Yun scrambled and leaped forward, both of them grabbing her shoulders and yanking her backwards. She fell on top of them both and once more, the air was knocked out of Rangi by the much taller girl.</p>
<p>“Don’t scare us like that!” Yun yelled into Kyoshi’s ear.</p>
<p>“What happened?” Kelsang asked, trying to find a way to turn around and examine what caused the yelling.</p>
<p>“Nothing, Master Kelsang,” Rangi grumbled. “Kyoshi had a bad dream is all.” She looked over her shoulder to find him staring at her with slight disbelief.</p>
<p>“Well okay then, but be careful, and no roughhousing. We don’t want anyone getting hurt before we get there. Jianzhu would have my head on a platter.” Kelsang gave a strong look of concern focused mainly on Kyoshi.</p>
<p>Rangi could agree. She was not particularly happy with Kyoshi joining them. Any other mission, it would have been great for their friend to join but this one had high stakes and the potential to go awry very quickly. If Jianzhu didn’t think so, then why did he bother giving Kyoshi armored clothing?</p>
<p>She looked out over the sea and watched the waves moving in the distance. Just behind them was a ship that her mother and the others were on. Yun had insisted they ride on Pengpeng in order to avoid the nuances of his Avatarhood. He had explained to her that he wanted time to be with the people closest to him before the treaty ordeal in order to help him relax.</p>
<p>Kyoshi nearly pitching herself off of a sky bison surely was not what he envisioned as quality time.</p>
<p>“Sounds like a failing of Kuruk’s instead,” Kyoshi muttered, breaking into Rangi’s thoughts.</p>
<p>Her stare shifted to the girl. “Don’t criticize Yun’s past life,” she said as she whacked Kyoshi with a mittened hand. “The Avatars tread paths of great destiny. Every action they take is meaningful.”</p>
<p>The two stared at each other until Kyoshi finally looked away. Rangi couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was either something going on with Kyoshi that was more than her being simply anxious. Both her and Yun were feeling a little off compared to their usual dispositions, now that she thought about it. What could they be keeping from her?</p>
<p>The suspicion cleared from her mind over the passing hours as it began to get colder the closer they got to the destination. Yun and Kyoshi had taken spots right next to Rangi, their shoulders all pressing together as they huddled underneath their parkas and quilts to stay warm.</p>
<p>Kyoshi had slipped her right arm through Rangi’s left and held it close for the remaining travel. It wasn’t the first time she had done that so Rangi tried not to read into it much. The small gesture was welcomed but she could not help but wonder sometimes if maybe her feelings weren’t as unrequited as she thought. </p>
<p>“Right, Rangi?” Yun nudged her in the ribs.</p>
<p>“Hm?” The Firebender snapped back to reality.</p>
<p>The boy smiled at her, the brightness in his eyes back for the moment. “I said, when I successfully get this treaty signed, we are going to celebrate!”</p>
<p>Rangi forced a small smile and nodded. “Absolutely.” </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>They had arrived. Rangi immediately moved to the edge of the saddle and began to scope out the perimeter. There were tall crags surrounding the shelf of ice and snow below. In the distance, she could see the tents of the Fifth Nation littering the white abandon. There was something missing.</p>
<p>“I don’t see their fleet.” Rangi looked to Yun.</p>
<p>“Part of the terms were that the negotiating grounds be even,” he responded, becoming distant once more. “For her that meant no warships. For us that meant no ground.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes narrowed. That didn’t make sense to her. They were meeting in a location that made the majority of their guardsmen useless, as well as Jianzhu and Yun. All while Tagaka was surrounded by resources. Did she somehow know that the Avatar had yet to adopt his other bending abilities yet? Whatever it was, the terms were a power move that put Tagaka on top.</p>
<p>Once Pengpeng was landed and she was on the ground, Rangi stayed close to Kyoshi while continuing to examine her surroundings. They were cornered onto one side of an iceberg with little to no resources to help. The only people of use would be herself, Hei-Ran, and Amak. If Yun had been able to bend other elements by now, she would have considered him.</p>
<p>The ship with the others eventually pulled up and her mother immediately walked over to Rangi’s side. It had been a long time since she had seen the woman decked out in her full armor. The sight sent a wave of pride through the woman’s daughter. It was all short-lived when Rangi pulled Hei-Ran aside, sharply talking under her breath. “Did you know about the terms for negotiation? I thought they had discussed the entire plan with us. They never mentioned this being on a floating sheet of nothing.”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran’s eyes looked over towards Yun and Jianzhu. “There are some things Jianzhu doesn’t inform me of, this being one of them.”</p>
<p>“Something isn’t right.”</p>
<p>“Just stay astute,” Hei-Ran uttered. “Keep on your post and stay vigilant. I’ve got your back.”</p>
<p>Rangi gave a single nod before returning to Kyoshi’s side as they watched the other ships come in to shore. The soldiers unloaded and lined up with spears and swords in hand. There was something to be said about the Earth Kingdom’s tactic of using numbers as intimidation, and the words Rangi could say about it were not very appealing to some ears. </p>
<p>“She approaches,” Kelsang said.</p>
<p>They all looked out towards the edge of the iceberg at a small dot of a human walking their way. Tagaka was in no hurry and would make them wait as long as she wanted.</p>
<p>“I guess everyone dying of old age would count as achieving peace,” Yun muttered.</p>
<p>And so they waited. Rangi and Yun played a few games of X’s and O’s in the snow while Kyoshi watched. Everyone relaxed and stood around for quite a while until the woman and her two guards arrived.</p>
<p>Tagaka looked like an ordinary waterbender. There was nothing special or majestic about her appearance and she looked exactly as Rangi had expected. She was built like the typical sea goer, toughened and weathered. Tagaka wore the hide clothing and hair loops of a water tribe clansman, despite the fact that she had long since been denounced by the tribes as a whole. </p>
<p>A jade covered scabbard and sword sat on her hip. It had belonged to an Admiral at one point before Tagaka murdered the man with his very blade. The pirate leader was just another outlaw that needed to be taken down, not negotiated with. Tagaka had done too much wrong to ever deserve Rangi’s amnesty.</p>
<p>The pirate looked Kyoshi up and down, causing Rangi to stiffen up, ready to attack. “I didn’t realize we were supposed to be bringing so much muscle,” Tagaka exclaimed to Jianzhu. She motioned towards Kyoshi. “That girl is a walking crow’s nest.”</p>
<p>Rangi looked up at Kyoshi and saw the girl trying to emulate the face of a hardened soldier. She admired that the Earthbender was staying stoic despite the stress of the situation. That didn’t stop Rangi from stepping just a little closer to Kyoshi though. She was the first one to get Tagaka’s attention, making the Firebender feel uneasy after her future safety.</p>
<p>“Where are my manners,” she said, giving Yun a perfunctory bow. “It’s my honor to greet the Avatar in the flesh.”</p>
<p>“Tagaka, Marquess of the Eastern Sea,” Yun announced, “congratulations on your victory over the remnants of the Fade-Red Devils.”</p>
<p>Tagaka was taken aback. “You knew of that business?” </p>
<p>“Yachey Hong and his crew were a bunch of sadistic murderers,” Yun said smoothly. “They had neither your wisdom nor your... ambition. You did the world a great service by wiping them out.”</p>
<p>“Ha!” She clapped once. “This one studies like Yangchen and flatters like Kuruk. I look forward to our battle of wits tomorrow. Shall we head to my camp? You must be hungry and tired.”</p>
<p>“Your hospitality is much appreciated,” Jianzhu stated, with a very slight bow. “Come, everybody.”</p>
<p>They proceeded forward, Rangi always staying just behind Yun and at Kyoshi’s side the entire trek.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>The dinner gathering left Rangi feeling even more in disdain for pirates and outlaws. Pilfered rugs and trays and lamps filled the large yurt, flaunting just how successful Tagaka was at being a thief. If she was allowed, the Firebender would have burned the entire encampment to the ground. </p>
<p>She wasn’t in complete disagreement with The Fifth Nation though. They often disregarded boundaries between the elements. Their belief was that no nation was superior and that anyone who wanted to join them could do so with ease. How they went about their propaganda though, that is where they parted views. Also, Rangi did hold a belief that the Fire Nation was superior in some means, and it showed through them having a more prosperous nation. That did not mean the element was any better than others though. Each one served a purpose and brought balance throughout the Nations.</p>
<p>Anyone that knew anything about politics and ethics could also tell that their propaganda was a load of lies. How would pirates benefit from having an Earthbender on a ship? The answer lay at the servants she watched coming in and out of the tent, serving their food and drinks. She trusted Yun had already noticed the existence of hostages at the camp. </p>
<p>Rangi picked at the food. She was not the biggest fan of Water Tribe dishes but ate enough to be considered polite before refusing anymore. On the other hand, her eyes shifted over to Kyoshi, who struggled while eating any of the raw food and who silently gagged a few times. There were a few times where she caught Kyoshi’s glance of discomfort and wished she could do more to help the girl through her first mission with the Avatar.</p>
<p>Later that evening, once Yun began playing Tagaka’s crew at Pai Sho, Kyoshi nudged her in the side and tilted her chin towards the joy and merriment. Rangi looked at Kyoshi’s widened eyes and raised her eyebrows in acknowledgement. She shifted her foot to point towards the tent opening and quickly glanced over at four Earth Kingdom villagers entering and exiting. Kyoshi had finally caught on to what was happening. Tagaka was toying with her prized possessions in front of the Avatar, teasing him with his own people.</p>
<p>It was obvious the new onslaught of knowledge overwhelmed the girl and Rangi gently reached out and grabbed her hand. She held it for a moment to ground Kyoshi back to the forefront of the evening and then gave it a squeeze to reassure the Earthbender to stay strong and that she was there. Her hand moved from Kyoshi’s and settled back into her own lap as she refocused on the room.</p>
<p>Yun won game after game of Pai Sho, as expected. His audience jeered and laughed and cursed, depending on which side of the bet they were on. Coins hit the table to pay off the winners.</p>
<p>Tagaka laughed as well before finishing off another glass of wine. “Tell me, Avatar. Are you enjoying yourself?”</p>
<p>Rangi shifted in her seat, prepared for anything. She could feel heat beginning to radiate from Hei-Ran sitting next to her.</p>
<p>Yun turned his attention to Tagaka. “I’ve been to many places around the world and your hospitality has been unmatched.”</p>
<p>“I’m so glad,” the woman said, reaching to fill her cup again. “I was convinced you were planning to kill me before the night was through.”</p>
<p>Silence poured through the yurt and Rangi could feel Kyoshi tense up. She immediately began assessing the exit points and where everyone stood in their relation. Her mother held her hand just below the table edge, signaling to Rangi to not make any movement yet. They all watched as Yun simply picked up the Pai Sho tiles and smiled at the pirate’s statement.</p>
<p>“Mistress Tagaka,” he started. “If this is about the size of my contingent, I assure you I meant no harm or insult. The soldiers who came with me are merely an honor guard. I didn’t want to bring them, but they were so excited about the chance to witness you make history with the Avatar.”</p>
<p>“I’m not concerned about a bunch of flunkies with spears, boy,” Tagaka snapped back at him. As she continued, her voice turned lower and more harsh. “I’m talking about those three.”</p>
<p>She pointed three fingers towards the table that Rangi sat at and immediately she knew where this was going. The pasts of Jianzhu, Kelsang, and her own mother were no secrets to her and now she was wondering just how much Yun actually knew about the past in regards to all three of his mentors. It was not likely that he knew anything about her mother’s darkened history.</p>
<p>“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” he replied. “Surely you know of my bending masters. The famed companions of Kuruk.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I know of them. And I know what it means when the Gravedigger of Zhulu Pass darkens my tent in person.”</p>
<p>Yun tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as the smile on his face faded. “Are you referring to the story of how my esteemed mentor piously interred the bodies of villagers he found cut down by rebels, giving them their final rest and dignity?” He closed his hand, the little ceramic game tiles clicked together.</p>
<p>Tagaka shook her head in disbelief and amusement. “I’m referring to five thousand Yellow Necks, buried alive, the rest terrorized into submission. The entire uprising crushed by one man. Your ‘esteemed mentor.’”</p>
<p>She turned to Jianzhu. “I’m curious. Do their spirits haunt you when you sleep? Or did you plant them deep enough that the earth muffles their screams?”</p>
<p>Rangi’s face did not budge from its stonelike position as she heard one of the game pieces slip from Yun’s hand and fall onto the board. She knew exactly where this conversation was going to end up next and the look on her mother’s face confirmed every suspicion. </p>
<p>Jianzhu finally spoke up. “Respectfully, I fear that rumors from the Earth Kingdom interior tend to grow wilder the closer they get to the South Pole. Many tales of my past exploits are pure exaggerations by now.”</p>
<p>“Respectfully, I gained my position through knowing facts beyond what you think a typical blue-eyed southern rustic should know,” she snapped once more. Her hospitality was officially gone for the night. “For example, I know who holds the Royal Academy record for the most ‘accidental’ kills during Agni Kais, Madam Headmistress.”</p>
<p>Rangi tried her hardest to maintain her composure but she could feel a deep burning in her stomach as Tagaka turned red in her vision. Her mother’s past was forever going to haunt her future. She felt Kyoshi reach her hand out and she immediately swatted it away. Now was not the time for any comfort. </p>
<p>“And Master Kelsang.” Tagaka chuckled after stating his name. “Listen, young Avatar. Have you ever wondered why my fleets stay cooped up in the Eastern Sea, where the pickings are slim, engaged in costly battles for territory with other crews? It’s solely because of that man right there.”</p>
<p>Everyone’s eyes shifted to Kelsang before the woman at the head of the tent made way on her story. “My father used to call him the Living Typhoon. We criminal types have a fondness for theatrical nicknames, but in this case, the billing was correct.” She took a sip of her wine. “Grandad once took the family and a splinter fleet westward, around the southern tip of the Earth Kingdom. The threat they presented must have been great indeed, because Master Kelsang, then a young man in the height of his power, rode out on his bison and summoned a storm to turn them back.</p>
<p>“Sounds like a perfect solution to a naval threat without any bloodshed, eh?” Tagaka shook her head before giving a wicked glare and smile in Kelsang’s direction. “But have any of you pulled a shivered timber the size of a jian from your thigh? Or been thrown into the sea and then tried to keep your head above a thirty-foot wave?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her gaze moved back to the Avatar’s in contentment from the torture she was causing him. “I should thank you, Master Kelsang. I lost several uncles on that expedition. You saved me from a gruesome succession battle. But the fear of a repeat performance kept the Fifth Nation and other crews bottled up in the Eastern Sea, my father’s entire generation terrified of a single Air Nomad. They thought Kelsang was watching them from the peaks of the Southern Air Temple. Patrolling the skies above their heads.”</p>
<p>Rangi couldn’t believe it. This was not how the stories of Jianzhu and Kelsang had been told to her. Even worse, she was assuming that Kyoshi was finding out about these pasts for the first time tonight. She wanted to leave at that very moment.</p>
<p>“A lesson from your airbending master,” Tagaka kept adding salt to the fresh, new wound. “The most effective threat is only performed once. So you can imagine my distress when I saw you bring this… this collection of butchers to our peace treaty signing. I thought for certain it meant violence was in our future.”</p>
<p>Yun was controlling himself well, humming as he twiddled with a few Pai Sho tiles. “Mistress Tagaka, you have nothing to fear from my masters. And if we’re giving credence to gruesome reputations, I believe I would have equal cause for concern.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” she said, staring him down, her fingers lying on the hilt of her sword. “You absolutely do.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s hands formed into fists and as she hinged forward a little. Her mother once again gave her a hidden signal to stay put and she felt Kyoshi shift closer to her. They all watched as Tagaka and Yun stared at each other with intensity. This was going to be a turning point that determined where the mission headed.</p>
<p>Tagaka grinned and sat back. “You know, it’s bad luck to undertake an important ceremony with blood on your spirit. I purified myself of my past crimes with sweat and ice before you arrived, but with the stain of so much death still hanging over your side, I suddenly feel the need to do it again before tomorrow morning. You may stay here as you’d like.”</p>
<p>With those final words, she stood up, snapped her fingers and her crew filed out of the tent after her, the Earth Kingdom captives following last. Rangi’s face finally fell into rage as she stood up and stared down at her mother. </p>
<p>Just before she was about to say something to Hei-Ran, Jianzhu put his hands together and looked over at Yun. “You did well for-”</p>
<p>“Is it true?” The boy was curt.</p>
<p>“Is what true?”</p>
<p>“Five thousand? You buried five thousand people alive?” Yun’s disbelief fell onto every word.</p>
<p>Rangi couldn’t even begin to focus on their argument right now. No matter how hard she tried, her mother’s Agni Kais managed to become a focus in every chapter of her life. She had asked her plenty of times if they were truly accidental and her mother always answered yes. There was little remorse though and she continuously wondered how much she was still being lied to.</p>
<p>Her mouth was agape as she tried to even think of the words to say. Hei-ran stood up and gave her nothing but a straight-lipped stare. “Remember that you are here, right now, as an Officer of the Fire Nation Army and you are still on duty. Watch what the next words from your mouth are.”</p>
<p>The corner of Rangi’s lips twitched as she glared at the retired Lieutenant General. If she said anything out of line, it would risk her current title and any future promotions. Instead, they locked into a match of who would break first until Jianzhu’s voice raised over her thoughts.</p>
<p>“The rest of you get out. I need to speak to the Avatar, alone.”</p>
<p>At the dismissal, Rangi stormed out of the tent and down towards the camp before anyone had a chance to catch up with her. She was fuming at what just happened. Her mentors were brought into a new, dim light, and her mother was insulted, as well as her family in general. Yun was back in the tent, dealing it out with Jianzhu. Hopefully Kyoshi had parted with Kelsang.</p>
<p>She walked past her tent and kept going until she reached the edge of the iceberg far away from camp. There was nothing she could do but stand there, staring into the abyss that lay before her across the open water. Rangi sat down and crossed her legs, resting her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward a little.</p>
<p>“Rangi.” Her mother’s voice broke the silence. Typically the woman left her alone for a while longer during their fights so it was odd to be approached this soon.</p>
<p>She didn’t say a word in response though. Hei-Ran was now standing next to her. “You’re going to eventually have to learn to control yourself better.”</p>
<p>Rangi never looked away from the dark. “I think you and others tend to underestimate how much control I do have.”</p>
<p>“You were getting hijacked during Tagaka’s entire rambling. In moments like those, you have to stay above the other person. The moment they see they are affecting you, that’s the moment they gain control.” Hei-Ran stooped down next to her daughter.</p>
<p>“You don’t think I know that already? I spent several years of my life not reacting to people insulting you and our family just so I could graduate early.” Rangi closed her eyes and looked down at her lap. “Now I’m in a position where I can do something but really I can’t.”</p>
<p>“This isn’t school anymore. The consequences are severe now. If you would have done anything remotely threatening like you were tensing up to do, the long term repercussions could have caused us a small war.” Her mother shook her head and sighed.</p>
<p>“I know. I’m sorry.” Rangi knew her mother was right, despite her not wanting to believe it. Where she was at in her career as a soldier meant her duties were no longer child’s play. “How could you not defend yourself though?”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran shrugged. “Do you see what she did with Jianzhu after he tried to defend himself? You can’t fix the beliefs of someone that is unshakably set in their ways. There is no purpose or honor in fighting her, yet.”</p>
<p>“Yet?”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>After a well-needed discussion with her mother, Rangi returned to her tent for the night. It was peculiar that Kyoshi was not back yet but Rangi assumed that she was with Kelsang. What occurred earlier had left everyone on edge so she couldn’t blame the girl for still being out and about. If she didn’t return soon, Rangi would go looking for her.</p>
<p>In the meantime, the soldier began to undo the ties of her armor and stripped it off piece by piece. She took a lot of pride in what she earned but after wearing it from dusk to dawn, it was a relief to remove the excess bulk. It was always a process as she took the extra time to make sure it was all put away properly.</p>
<p>Eventually she was finished and pulled on her cotton slip right before hearing the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow and a thump just outside the tent. Rangi walked to the opening flap and poked her head out to see Kyoshi laying face down in the snow. She stared at the body for a moment, shaking her head at the dramatics.</p>
<p>Rangi stepped out and lit a small fire in her palm. She looked down at the girl and smelt the pungent stench of ripe alcohol. “Kyoshi, have you been drinking?”</p>
<p>“Yes?” She stared up at Rangi before resting her head back in the snow.</p>
<p>Why did she feel the need to lie about these little things?</p>
<p>The Firebender rolled her eyes and extinguished the flame in her hands before taking hold of Kyoshi’s arms to drag her inside. For being slender, she was quite heavy and yanking her into the tent reminded Rangi of pulling the weighted sleds at boot camp.</p>
<p>She sat the girl up first and then pulled her to her feet. The exhaustion on Kyoshi’s face astonished Rangi. This entire trip had already rung her friend ragged. Rangi sighed before she began to strip Kyoshi down from her new attire. “You can’t sleep in that getup. Especially not the armor.”</p>
<p>Her hands carefully undid the ornate obi around Kyoshi’s waist before hastily pulling off the long vest. She avoided Kyoshi’s stare as much as possible, already feeling strange for undressing the girl she felt deeply about. Kyoshi’s eyes never left her and she could feel the weight of her stare.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t you be sleeping with Yun?” Kyoshi asked. Rangi’s head snapped upwards. Redness and warmth filled her cheeks. “You know what I mean.”</p>
<p>She looked back down at her task at hand. “The Avatar and Master Jianzhu are reviewing strategy. Master Amak only ever sleeps in ten minute intervals throughout the day, so he and the most experienced guardsmen will keep watch. The order is everyone else should be well-rested for tomorrow.”</p>
<p>With that, she had finished undressing Kyoshi to her under robe and left to settle beneath the bedroll that had been laid out for them. Rangi quickly made herself comfortable and closed her eyes, trying to not think about the fact that her and Kyoshi were laying in the same bed. She focused on her breathing until Kyoshi’s voice broke the silence.</p>
<p>“I don’t think they did anything wrong.”</p>
<p>Rangi decided to just pretend to already be well on her way to sleep and let the other girl just talk. After sharing bunk rooms and military training, she could sleep through most anything at this point.</p>
<p>“I heard from Auntie Mui about what Xu and the Yellow Necks did to unarmed men, women, and children. If half of that is true, then Jianzhu went too easy on them. They deserved worse.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi wasn’t necessarily wrong there, but the way Jianzhu has gone about murdering them was still a despicable act.</p>
<p>“And accidents aren’t accidents. I’m sure your mother never meant to harm anyone.”</p>
<p>The statement sent Rangi reeling. She rolled over and slammed her hands onto Kyoshi’s chest, grabbing at her robe’s lapels, and yanked the Earthbender over to face her. </p>
<p>“Kyoshi, one of those opponents was her cousin. A rival candidate for headmistress.” She choked on the words as she stared deeply at Kyoshi. She couldn’t help but jostle the other girl a bit.</p>
<p>“Not a pirate, or an outlaw. Her cousin. The school cleared her honor, but the rumors followed me around for years. People whispering around corners that my mother was- was an assassin.” </p>
<p>Rangi could see the understanding and realization in Kyoshi’s eyes, but she no longer wanted Kyoshi to see the pain in hers. Without so much of a thought, Rangi pulled Kyoshi closer and pushed her face into her chest. Her face pressed deep into the fabric while gripping tighter onto the lapels.</p>
<p>Kyoshi’s arm gently settled over her shoulder as Rangi took several breaths to calm herself. She took one deep breath and realized just how close she was to Kyoshi right now. The girl wasn’t tensing up, but was actively comforting her instead. Rangi’s heart began to race not out of anger but from nervousness. </p>
<p>Rangi decided to take her chances and relaxed even deeper into the hold, settling her whole body against Kyoshi. She nuzzled her face against Kyoshi’s chest and swore she heard the girl take a deep inhale of Rangi’s loosened hair. No matter if she did or not, her friend didn’t move away but instead held her close. A small sigh of relief fell for her lips.</p>
<p>This moment made Rangi glow like an ember in a hearth. She could feel every ounce of stress in her settle to nothing as each muscle fell in love with where she was at this very moment. For four years, she had thought of how pleasant something like this would be with Kyoshi and it exceeded every daydream she had ever created.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>P.S. My heart melted writing that last scene.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Fracture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies for the delay on this chapter! I ran into an error on my part involving canon material. Long story short, chapters 6 through 10 are in the works with being updated. Canon basically states that Rangi was training as a bodyguard around age twelve but Yun did not come around until roughly 14. The chapters before this will be updated to reflect that information, which means I am also writing up new material for them in order to squeeze out some more character development Rangshi interactions.</p>
<p>Enjoy the parallels of the beginning and the end. I'm just going to say this: sorry, not sorry.</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was still pitch black outside when Rangi woke up at her usual time. She stirred for a moment and realized that Kyoshi was pushed against her back, her arm wrapped around Rangi’s waist and the girl’s chin resting gently on the top of her head. Rangi’s heart thumped loudly and her stomach filled with sparks of intense happiness. Just yesterday, she would have given anything for this moment and now she was living in it.</p>
<p>Kyoshi stirred, causing Rangi to hold her breath. She didn’t want to lose this. But, Kyoshi only held her tighter than before so Rangi readjusted and pushed her back even closer. They laid there together, warm and comforted. This feeling of pure contentment was something that Rangi had craved for a long time. There were not often moments where she felt this at peace.</p>
<p>She could feel the rise and fall of Kyoshi’s chest as she breathed. And the small inhales and exhales against the top of her head. Rangi wanted to test the waters a little more so she moved her hand to Kyoshi’s and carefully slipped their fingers together. She didn’t want to close her grip too much so their hands simply rested together on top of Rangi’s stomach.</p>
<p>There was no training with Hei-Ran this morning for obvious reasons and there was about another hour before Rangi truly needed to get up. The problem was, she didn’t want to get up at all. In fact, she never wanted this moment to end. She wondered if this meant the same to Kyoshi as it did to her. Did this make Kyoshi’s heart melt? Did it make her fall apart and become whole again all at the same time?</p>
<p>Focusing on that was no use right now. Rangi decided to enjoy what was happening in the present because there was a chance it would never happen again. She closed her eyes and exhaled, sinking as far into Kyoshi as she possibly could.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>The delegation all stood there, looking towards Jianzhu as he spoke a few words before they ascended the iceberg. Kelsang and Rangi stood on either side of Kyoshi, while the rest stayed closer to Yun.</p>
<p>“Everyone, let us proceed with professionalism. Last night’s enlightening conversation did not shake us from what we came here to accomplish. Remember, we are still dealing with a very cunning pirate, so keep yourselves at ready if anything should escalate.” He took a deep breath in before audibly exhaling. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>They walked the path up to the top of the peak, where it plateaued with a large enough area for all of them plus Tagaka’s small crew. Two guardsmen, and one an Earthbender hostage that stood in hallowed silence, staring at her feet. It disgusted Rangi to see the captive woman being used by the pirate and she knew Yun felt the same way. They had quietly discussed their observations of the dinner last night to each other over breakfast.</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes subtly looked around the landscape and noticed just how high up they were above all the other icebergs floating in the Eastern Sea. The choice of altitude was an interesting choice but she figured it kept either party from trying to hide any forces along the perimeter of the plateau. </p>
<p>Something still felt off though as she glanced over to her mother, who stood there looking straight ahead at Tagaka. Why would the woman only bring two soldiers and a servant when just last night she announced her concerns about Yun’s masters joining him?</p>
<p>“I figured we’d use the traditional setting for such matters,” Tagaka announced with a smile. “So please bear with me for a moment.”</p>
<p>The pirate queen wedged her feet in the snow and took a shouting breath. As with every Waterbender, she moved her arms in a fluid motion, pushing and pulling. “Hold on.”</p>
<p>With more stress and effort, she tried again and three ice pedestals pulled up from the ground. A table and two chairs, respectively. “You’ll have to forgive me,” she said, out of breath. “I’m not exactly the bender my father and grandfather were.” </p>
<p>That comment didn’t sit well with Rangi either. Just last night, the woman thanked Kelsang for helping prevent what would have been a large succession battle. If both her father and grandfather were great benders, then they likely would have been able to easily overcome a lesser skilled waterbender if she ever challenged them. And if she was telling the truth, then why did her family not develop her skill knowing that she was eventually going to take over command of the ships? It was not often a family full of skilled benders would let one fall to the wayside.</p>
<p>They were being conned. Tagaka was lying. Once more, Rangi looked over at her mother with as little suspicion as possible and this time caught the woman’s attention. She turned her look away from Rangi and down towards her right arm bracer. She wrapped her left thumb and forefinger around her forearm, pretending to adjust her armor. Her right forefinger quickly flashed towards the ground. </p>
<p>Rangi rapidly blinked twice in understanding and then looked straight ahead. There were enemies underneath them. She kept her composure, knowing that they would have to allow this to proceed before any offensive attacks were made. Her breathing slowed down as she purposefully began to store energy and power inside of her, bracing for the inevitable.</p>
<p>Time passed slowly as Yun and Tagaka came to agreements and terms on the treaty placed in front of them. Most exchanges were polite as they simply reviewed if the scrolls matched and changed a few small details here and there. “I object to your description of yourself as the Waterborne Guardian of the South Pole.” Yun pointed to the scroll in front of him.  </p>
<p>“Why? It’s true. My warships are a buffer. I’m the only force keeping a hostile navy from sailing up to the shores of the Southern Water Tribe.” Tagaka crossed her arms matter-of-factly.</p>
<p>“The Southern Water Tribe hates you,” Yun was blunt in his statement.</p>
<p>“Yes, well, politics are complicated.” There was a pause before she took a deep breath. “I’ll edit that to ‘Self-Appointed Guardian of the South Pole.’ I haven’t abandoned my people, even if they’ve turned their backs on me.”</p>
<p>Their back and forth debates when on for another extended period of time. Rangi would have found this much more exciting if it were warmer outside and she wasn’t standing in ankle-deep snow. </p>
<p>“If you don’t mind, I’d like to proceed straight away to the next stage. Verbal agreements.” Yun said as he leaned back.</p>
<p>Tagaka smirked. “Ooh, the real fun stuff.”</p>
<p>“On the matter of hostages form the southern coast of Zeizhou Province as can be reasonably defined through to Tu Zin, taken from their homes sometime between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice…” The Avatar paused. “I want them back, all of them.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s jaw nearly dropped to the ground at his demand. Jianzhu snapped. “Avatar!” The Earthbender was furious at the demand Yun had made. This was not part of their plan. Yun simply raised his hand up to silence the man. He was going to try his luck first.</p>
<p>“I want every single man, woman, and child back. If you’ve sold them to other pirate crews, I want your dedicated assistance in finding them. If any have died under your care, I want their remains so their families can give them a proper burial. We can talk about the compensation you’ll pay later.”</p>
<p>Jianzhu, Hei-Ran, and Amak were all displeased now. Kelsang seemed to be suppressing a smirk and Kyoshi looked surprised at what was happening. Rangi was impressed. Her friend, her Avatar was putting his foot down completely and demanding what was right.</p>
<p>Tagaka leaned back on her ice stool. “Sure.”</p>
<p>Yun was obviously taken aback. He was expecting more defiance. “You agree?”</p>
<p>“I agree,” Tagaka stated with little concern. “You can have all of the captives back. They’re free. Every single one.”</p>
<p>The Earth Kingdom woman cried out in relief as she collapsed to her hands and knees. She weeped loudly without any reprimand. Rangi had been trained enough over the past years to know that agreements like this only happened if there was leverage or an even larger demand waiting on the other side. </p>
<p>“The captives are useless to me anyways,” Tagaka continued, looking out towards the sea. “Out of a thousand people or more, not one was a passable carpenter. I should have known better. I needed to go after people who live among tall trees, not driftwood.”</p>
<p>“You want… carpenters?” Yun asked cautiously.</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes and looked back at Yun. “Boy, let me teach you a little fact about the pirate trade. Our power is measured in ships. We need timber and craftsmen who know how to work it. Building a proper navy is a generational effort. My peaceable cousins in the South Pole have a few heirloom sailing cutters but otherwise have to make do with seal-skin canoes. They’ll never create a large, long-range war fleet because they simply don’t have trees.”</p>
<p>Tagaka turned back to the table and looked at the boy with a darkness in her eyes. “So, yes. I want carpenters and trees and a port of my own to dock in so I can increase the size of my forces. And I know just where to get those things.”</p>
<p>“Yokoya!” Yun shouted, a realization and an alert to the others.</p>
<p>Rangi immediately slid her foot back and clinched her fists, ready to fight. Something shot out from the ground to her right and she looked over to see Master Amak become impaled by a sharp stalagmite of ice. He groaned and gurgled in surprise before slumping over. She looked over at Kyoshi and saw the look of horror on the girl’s face, before they both put their attention on Yun and Tagaka.  </p>
<p>“Come now,” the pirate chuckled. “You think I can’t recognize kinfolk under a disguise?”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>The two escorts for Tagaka grabbed the Earth Kingdom woman and made their way towards the slope. Rangi stepped forward and blasted a large fireball their way before her ankles were grabbed and she was dragged under the ice with intense force. Shards of ice sliced and nicked her face and hands as she was dragged further down. </p>
<p>She closed her eyes and calmed herself before taking a deep breath. Rangi pushed a jetstream of fire through her feet. The power quickly melted the ice below her while killing her assailant. She began to freefall down the tunnel she created with the blast but quickly pushed her hands and feet against the sides of the ice walls surrounding her to slow the descent down.</p>
<p>Rangi came to a halt and looked down. There was still a long fall to go from the opening her blast had made. She looked up and saw the light at the top of the opening, the ice above her accented with her own blood. </p>
<p>The soldier took a moment to catch her breath before looking to her sides. To her right, she could see her mother through the layers of ice dividing them and she immediately shot her fist into the wall, producing a large flame to melt a tunnel through to the woman. Slowly, she managed to scramble into the hole and arrived as Hei-Ran finished off the Waterbender that had dragged her down. Her mother stood there, holding her upper arm, taking deep breaths as she leaned back against the ice.</p>
<p>“You okay?” Rangi stood up and looked at her mother.</p>
<p>“Yes. And you?”</p>
<p>The soldier nodded while also trying to catch her breath. “I saw Kyoshi catch herself, she’s still up top. Where is Jianzhu?”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran nodded to her right. “That way.”</p>
<p>“Stay here. I’ll get him.” The girl once more blasted a hole in the wall and made her way through until reaching Jianzhu. He was standing there, looking up towards the top of the iceberg. </p>
<p>The Earthbender glanced down at her and without a word, followed her back through the tunnel to Hei-Ran. They stood there for a moment before the two Firebenders looked up. “I think our only way out is to scale upwards, or we can blast a hole through the side but I don’t know how deep in we are.” Rangi said.</p>
<p>Jianzhu nodded in agreement. “If you can melt hand and foot holds for us, we will follow. Hei-Ran, are you able to climb?”</p>
<p>The militant woman straightened up. “I’m able to do what needs to be done. We need to get to Avatar Yun.”</p>
<p>“And Kyoshi. Don’t forget, that’s where my assignment lies on this trip.” Rangi retorted before ascending the ice tunnel, taking a few moments here and there to melt holds into the wall.</p>
<p>She climbed out of the hole and scrambled to her feet to find Yun, Kyoshi, and Tagaka gone. Rangi took off running towards the edge of the iceberg near the path heading downwards and looked down to see Yun stuck in a large block of ice. Tagaka was approaching Kyoshi and surprising enough, Kyoshi wasn’t backing down.</p>
<p>Just then, she watched the Earthbender ground herself into a bridge stance. And without moving barely any muscle, the girl summoned a large column of seafloor to rise high above the water's surface. It took out a cutter, snapping and splintering it to pieces. </p>
<p>Displaced water flooded part of the iceberg and caused several pirates to lose their footing and a majority of their supply crates were destroyed. Tagaka quickly made a dam around herself and sequentially protected Kyoshi.</p>
<p>Kyoshi didn’t stop there. She leapt into the air and slammed her fists into the ground. The water bubbled from movement and gave way to several earthen crags. More ships were impaled and severed and left to sink into a graveyard below the water.</p>
<p>“Holy Spirits,” Rangi mumbled aloud. What she just witnessed was not something a normal Earthbender could muster. Not even after decades of training. The girl had just pulled the seafloor above the water like it was nothing but a piece of parchment paper.</p>
<p>“Rangi! Let’s go!” Hei-Ran yelled out to her daughter as Pengpeng swooped in and landed on the iceberg. </p>
<p>Rangi turned and took off at a sprint back towards them while pointing at the sea. “Look at what Kyoshi just did! We need to help her now!”</p>
<p>The three quickly climbed onto the sky bison with Jianzhu steering them. “Yip yip!” He snapped the reins and Pengpeng took off, roaring in understanding of their urgency. Jianzhu led them wisping around the iceberg with skill.</p>
<p>Pengpeng seemed to be sprinting towards Kyoshi and Rangi was fine with that. She stood in the saddle as she watched Tagaka approach her collapsed and struggling friend. “Kyoshi! Stay low!”</p>
<p>She punched the air and sent a large fireball at Tagaka, knocking her away from Kyoshi at the last second. Jianzhu pivoted the sky bison and sent a large tail shot of wind into the pirates that were approaching as Rangi and Hei-Ran blasted them with fiery assaults from above. </p>
<p>“We jump down on three!” Hei-Ran called out as the Earthbender steering Pengpeng lowered them down a little. The woman made the count and both the Firebender’s jumped down and ran towards the front of Kyoshi. They immediately gave an onslaught of attacks towards Tagaka, pushing her back so that she could barely defend herself.</p>
<p>Rangi felt there was a lot going on in her mind and her heart so she did everything she could to block it out. She needed to protect and save both of her wards and provide more power so her mother didn’t overexert her injuries. The girl kicked and punched with everything she had. There was no way she was going to lose any of the most important people in her life today. </p>
<p>As Jianzhu took down the majority of the fleet in an impressive fashion, the Earth Kingdom guardsmen finally made it to their location to help fight off any of the crew left on land. Luckily, they now had access to earth thanks to Kyoshi.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran turned towards Rangi. “I’ll help Yun if you can get to-“</p>
<p>“Kyoshi!” Rangi had turned in time to watch the girl fall to her knees and then slump over into the snow. Faster than ever before, Rangi bounded towards the girl.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Rangi buried her face in her hands and took several large breaths to recollect herself. The adrenaline was wearing down as they quickly made their way back towards Yokoya on Pengpeng with Jianzhu still at the reins. </p>
<p>She looked up to see Hei-Ran helping Kelsang cleanup his new wounds. The amount of damage he took was enough to worry Rangi but the monk was keeping his usual chipper spirit Though, they could all tell he was under a lot of internal duress. Yun sat next to her, slumped over and nursing his own wounds.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe Kyoshi saved me.” He said, slowly shaking his head.</p>
<p>Kelsang cleared his throat. “There’s, um, something we need- to discuss actually.”</p>
<p>Everyone looked at the man, including Jianzhu, who turned halfway to catch a glimpse of the injured monk. “What else could possibly go wrong? Go ahead, what is it.”</p>
<p>“Well, this is definitely going to make things worse,” Kelsang said with a smile in hopes it would provide comic relief. None of them were in a very joking mood right now. “I’ll cut to the point then. I have a firm belief that Kyoshi might be the Avatar.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s head turned towards Yun and she saw his face twist in confusion before he spoke. “I’m the Avatar. Both you and Jianzhu said it yourself two years ago when you found me.”</p>
<p>He shook his head and scoffed before motioning towards the passed out Earthbender. “Kelsang, the girl can barely even bend. Obviously she has incredibly raw power, she showed us that earlier today, but she can’t bend. She’s just a servant!”</p>
<p>“Just a servant? Seriously, Yun?” Rangi snapped, defending their friend that laid unconscious next to her. </p>
<p>“Seriously, Rangi, you know what I meant,” Yun gave the attitude right back to her before turning back to Kelsang. “Besides, other than that display of earthbending, what gives you this delusional idea?”</p>
<p>Kelsang obviously did not mean to start a fight but this conversation was never going to proceed well in the first place. “While we were in the kitchen the other day, she recited a poem written to Hei-Ran… from Avatar Kuruk.</p>
<p>“When Hei-Ran married Junsik, it broke Kuruk’s heart and he wanted so badly to have one last chance to win her back. So, he came to me one night two months after the wedding with a poem that he had written. I had no choice but to meddle. I didn’t want him to ruin our friend’s relationship.” He looked at the woman next to him. “You were so happy and in love with Junsik and I didn’t want it to be jeopardized.”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran’s face was flushed of color or warmth and appeared more stone than usual. It sent chills down Rangi’s spine. She had never seen her mother look so empty. “What was the poem, Kelsang?” The woman slowly annunciated each word through her teeth.</p>
<p>“Are you sure you-,”</p>
<p>“Of course, I’m sure! What was it?”</p>
<p>Kelsang took a deep breath before reciting what had long been held secret. “I’ve got two knives that are cast in bronze / they pierce all the way to the soul / they draw you in with the promise of sin / like the moth to the flame to the coal.</p>
<p>“I’ve got hair like the starless night / it sticks to my lips when I smile / I’ll wind it with yours and we’ll drift off course / in a ship touching hearts all the while.</p>
<p>“For the way I walk is a lantern lit / that leads you into the night / I’ll hold you close and love you the most / until our end is in sight.”</p>
<p>Rangi stared at her mother in stupor. There was no mistaking who that poem was about and her mind couldn’t move past the fact. “You were in love with the Avatar?”</p>
<p>“Rangi!” Hei-Ran shouted.</p>
<p>“What? Am I intruding? We are already discussing life changing revelations! Were you ever going to tell me about this?” Rangi’s hand reached out to Kyoshi and slid under the quilt to grip at the fabric of the robes near her shoulder. She wanted to explode but the connection to Kyoshi kept her grounded.</p>
<p>Her mother shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t want to get into this discussion right now. That’s not our focus. We need to figure out who the actual Avatar is and then do a lot of damage control.”</p>
<p>By the sounds of that statement alone, Hei-Ran seemed to currently be in agreement with Kelsang. She didn’t let it show though. Her face never wavered from the stone it had set to. Rangi looked over at Jianzhu, who was shaking his head and mumbling to himself as he now looked straight forward at the route ahead.</p>
<p>Yun was obviously not doing too well. His face was also cleared of any color, his eyes wide and looking down at the saddle floor. There was no comforting him or any of them at the moment. It was going to be a quiet flight home.</p>
<p>She looked down at Kyoshi and released the fabric in her hands. Rangi smoothed it back out and left the palm of her hand down on the girl’s shoulder. Heat radiated from her hand in hopes to keep Kyoshi warm.</p>
<p>Rangi pulled her knees close to her chest and buried her face. She didn’t know how to feel until she was met with the true realization of what her mother and Kuruk meant. Her eyes glanced down at Kyoshi. If she truly was the Avatar, then Rangi had fallen in love with Kuruk’s reincarnation. </p>
<p>It was horrifying to think about. She didn’t want to imagine the images of Kuruk and her mother together. She didn’t want to imagine Hei-Ran with anyone other than her own father. In a strange way though, it gave her hope that perhaps Kyoshi did or would return the sentiment of feelings. What if she was destined to be in the Avatar’s life as more than just a bodyguard? The sweet thought soured when she remembered that Yun could still be the Avatar.</p>
<p>If it wasn’t already messy enough, the road forward was not going to get any easier and Rangi was beginning to realize she was widely unprepared for this moment.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Their arrival back to the mansion was met with panic and hysteria. Auntie Mui was drowning in her own sobbing tears as Rangi and Yun, looking exhausted and worse for wear, carried Kyoshi inside. Hei-Ran helped them as well, while an injured Jianzhu assisted a limping Kelsang to the infirmary. </p>
<p>Kyoshi, Kelsang, Hei-Ran, and Yun were placed in their own rooms and immediately tended to for their injuries. Rangi didn’t want to be fawned over and simply walked into the supply room to find a cleaning solution for her wounds. She finally looked at herself in the mirror. Dry blood was caked on her face from the several cuts she had received. There were dark half circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. </p>
<p>With a shaking hand, the girl cleaned her own wounds, wincing at the stinging pain. She rubbed ointment on the cuts and left the room and walked past Kyoshi’s to check in. There were still a handful of healers and nurses in there so Rangi decided to come back once everything had calmed down.</p>
<p>Slowly, she meandered back to her quarters, only to walk in to find her mother already sitting by the bookcases. Leave it to her to also refuse medical attention. Rangi took a deep breath. “I don’t want to talk-”</p>
<p>“Sit down, young lady. After the last few days, I have very little patience for any of your petulance. Understand?” Hei-Ran’s voice was deep and foreboding. This was not a time where Rangi was going to try her luck quite yet.</p>
<p>Rangi nodded before she hung her head and sat down across from her mother. </p>
<p>“Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong with that entire mission. Why do you think that is?” The woman questioned.</p>
<p>“We allowed a pirate to outsmart us and put us in a vulnerable position. I saw it from the moment we arrived.” Rangi responded, finally looking her mother in the eyes.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran nodded. “And what did you do wrong?” </p>
<p>The question sent Rangi taken aback. She hadn’t been able to process the trip yet and couldn’t think of a moment where anything major was directly her fault. “I don’t-”</p>
<p>“You let your emotions lead the way. It is and always has been your biggest weakness and eventually you need to gain control over them.” Hei-Ran paused and leaned forward a little. “Is there something you need to tell me?”</p>
<p>Rangi looked at her with a blank face. She blinked and shook her head. “No.”</p>
<p>“Are you lying to me?”</p>
<p>“Why would it matter? You’ve withheld information and lied to me several times about serious matters over my entire life.” Rangi stared at her mother, emotionless.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran didn’t flinch. She didn’t even look phased by the response. “I asked you a question. Is there anything you would like to tell you?”</p>
<p>“There is something I would like to tell you, but I would like to tell my mother, not Retired Lieutenant General and Headmistress Hei-Ran. The problem is that I never know which response I’m going to get, so I don’t feel the need or want to talk about my more personal effects.”</p>
<p>They stared at each other in silence. Rangi loved her mother with all her heart but there were some things she didn’t feel comfortable saying yet, especially in a heated environment like now. The only person she had to talk to about her internalized issues was Kelsang. He had become like a father to her and often filled the void her mother could not: comfort.</p>
<p>Rangi closed her eyes and looked down at her lap. It wasn’t time to tell her mother why she was distracted. Not that it mattered much now anyways.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>A day had passed and Rangi had spent most of the night tossing and turning. </p>
<p>Rangi walked into Kyoshi’s room and softly closed the door before walking over to the chair next to the bed. She sat down for a moment, tapped her foot nervously on the ground a few times, then stood up and began pacing the length of the room. Her arms flailed in the air in silent anger before she stopped and looked at Kyoshi. She was still sound asleep. </p>
<p>“Why do you frustrate me so much? You just… make me so… I had this dream of becoming this invincible soldier and bodyguard to the Avatar and then you come out of nowhere.” She clenched her fists and groaned.</p>
<p>“This isn’t fair. To any of us. None of this was supposed to be this way. How long have you known that you were possibly the Avatar? And why did you keep it from me? I feel lied to and betrayed and like I’ve been living the past four years under all of these false pretenses! Everything is falling apart.”</p>
<p>Rangi could feel the room getting warmer the more she paced and heightened her emotions. If the girl woke up because she was too hot, then so be it. Maybe then Rangi could give her a piece of her mind too.</p>
<p>She went back to the chair and sat down. The words she had said were harsh when all she wanted was for everything to be fine. It didn’t have to go back to how it used to be, but she wanted everything to quit being so turbulent for a moment so she could think.</p>
<p>Just as she was wiping the tears from her eyes, Jianzhu walked through the door. Rangi jumped to her feet and bowed, hiding her face as much as possible. “Master Jianzhu.” The man looked exhausted and unkept.</p>
<p>“Rangi. Keeping the room a little warm for Kyoshi?” He tried to smirk at his own joke but his mouth only twitched.</p>
<p>“I was just leaving, actually.” She quickly moved from the room and went to find Yun.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>“I keep telling the healers I don’t have frostbite. This must have scared them.” Yun pulled his hand from the tub he was soaking it in to show Rangi the blackened hand. It had been ink stained during his fight with Tagaka after Rangi had been pulled underground. He submerged his hand again after adding more hot water.</p>
<p>Rangi went back to staring at the far corner of the room as she leaned against the windowsill. Her mind was anywhere but where it needed to be. She caught a partial outline of Kyoshi in her upper peripheral but refused to acknowledge the girl right now.</p>
<p>“What happened?” Kyoshi asked. “Is everyone okay? Is Kelsang badly hurt?”</p>
<p>“Master Kelsang is sleeping, so we should keep it down.”</p>
<p>That seemed to irritate Kyoshi. “Fine. Now will you tell me what happened?” She hissed.</p>
<p>“We lost a lot of guardsmen,” Yun paused. “Tagaka’s hidden Waterbenders dropped an avalanche on them. Rangi and Hei-Ran managed to save those they could by burning through the side of the iceberg after it thinned.”</p>
<p>After getting Kyoshi moved to a safe location, Rangi and her mother spent the rest of the time rescuing any remaining guardsmen and fighting off the rest of the Waterbenders. The entire ordeal exhausted the two Firebenders and even after arriving back at the mansion, they both were the ones to tie up loose ends. </p>
<p>“They freed me, and between us, we managed to knock Tagaka out.” Yun went on. “Losing their ships and seeing their leader defeated was too much for the rest of the Fifth Nation forces, and they fled. You should have seen it. Pirates clinging to wreckage while Waterbenders propelled them away. The loss of dignity probably hurt more than the falling rocks.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi stepped closer. “What happened to Tagaka?” </p>
<p>“She’s in the brig of an Earth Kingdom caravan heading for the capital, where she’ll be taken to the prisons at Lake Laogai. I don’t know what they’re going to do about the lake part of it if she can waterbend like that, but I have to assume at least someone in the Earth King’s administration has a plan. In the meantime, the Fifth Nation is no more.” Yun forced a smile before continuing.</p>
<p>“Their ships have been damaged beyond repair. Tagaka said it herself - her power lies in her fleet. After what you did, it’ll be nearly impossible for her successors to rebuild. They won’t pose a threat to the Earth Kingdom anymore.”</p>
<p>There was a hollowness between the three of them despite the win. “What about the captives?” Kyoshi asked.</p>
<p>“Jianzhu caught one of her lieutenants and interrogated their location out of him. Hei-Ran pulled a few strings - well, maybe more like the whole rope - and now the Fire Navy is mounting a rescue operation in an act of goodwill. It’ll be the first time they’ve been allowed to fly military colors in the Eastern Sea since the reign of the twenty-second Earth King.”</p>
<p>Rangi could tell Yun was avoiding the conversation that was on all of their minds. He shared the same emotionless bewilderment as her right now.</p>
<p>“Yun, you did it. You saved them,” Kyoshi said, seemingly trying to repair the room. “People will talk about this for ages to come! Avatar Yun, who saved the whole villages! Avatar Yun, who went toe to toe with the Pirate Queen of the Southern Ocean! Avatar Yun-”</p>
<p>“Kyoshi, stop it!” Rangi had enough of the make pretend. “Just stop!” </p>
<p>“Stop what?” Kyoshi yelled back. It was not often she raised her voice like that but Rangi was more than ready to fight.</p>
<p>“Stop pretending like everything’s the same as it was! We know what you and Kelsang were hiding from us!” At that, she pushed herself off from leaning on the windowsill and stormed over to the other girl, nearly stabbing her finger into Kyoshi’s chest.</p>
<p>“How could you keep that from us?” She shouted. “Was it funny to you? Making us look like fools? Knowing there’s a chance that all of our lives are a gigantic lie?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t… I wasn’t…” Kyoshi stuttered.</p>
<p>This set Rangi off further as her finger began to heat up and smoke. “What was your angle, huh? Were you trying to discredit Yun? Jianzhu, maybe? Do you have some kind of twisted secret desire to see the world fall apart at the seams?”</p>
<p>It took every ounce of control to not send a fist flying into Kyoshi’s sternum as she could feel every emotion welling up inside. “Answer me!” she screamed, her voice breaking. “Answer me, you- you-”</p>
<p>A moment of realization hit her and she stepped back, aghast.. If the assumption about Kyoshi was true, then she was threatening the Avatar at this very moment. Rangi’s stomach turned and her heart sank. She covered her mouth and barreled past Kyoshi out the door and down the hall. Tears began to stream from her eyes as she kept running, not knowing where her feet were taking her.</p>
<p>“Rangi! Stop!” Yun’s voice called out to her but she couldn’t stop. She needed to leave for a moment and not be found, her honor and heart breaking all at once.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>P.S. I am going on a small "hiatus" this weekend since it is a long weekend off from work. We are taking a road trip to go hide in the trees and mountains away from everyone. The scenery should inspire some great material but don't expect much posting between now and next Tuesday.</p>
<p>Thank you all for the endless feedback and support! I love you all very much for that. Do know that it genuinely keeps me fueled with motivation to continue writing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We are back in business, folks! Thank you to everyone that wished me (and my beautiful wife) a happy vacation/writing hiatus. It was very enjoyable and the time in nature was much needed. Lots of time to reflect and visualize. </p>
<p>I am pumped for all the action that is approaching in the next chapters. It is where Rangi really begins to start thriving!</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Rangi.”</p>
<p>The soft voice was barely audible but her eyes twitched more and she opened them once before closing again.</p>
<p>“Rangi.”</p>
<p>She stirred a little more and finally opened her heavy eyelids as she lifted her head. The girl rubbed her eyes before focusing towards Kelsang. The night was filled with sleepless tossing and turning so she decided to leave her room and visit the monk in the infirmary. Rangi had fallen asleep in the arm chair in the corner and she could feel the instant ramifications of doing so. The muscles in her neck and shoulders were stiff as she tried to squeeze some life into them.</p>
<p>They had spent last night playing Pai Sho on a small, travel sized board that they laid on the top of the bed. The conversation was kept light considering they were both heavy with emotion. Kelsang told her about the different temples of the Air Nation and she told him stories about Fire Nation festivals and events. There were a few laughs here and there. It was an evening they both needed after several hits of misfortune. </p>
<p>“Aren’t you late for training with Hei-Ran?” Kelsang raised his eyebrows with a smile.</p>
<p>It took a moment to process the question before her eyes shot open. She jumped out of the chair and cursed to herself as she started making her way for the door. “She’s going to be angry.”</p>
<p>“Rangi, really quick!” Kelsang called out. She turned around before leaving, her hand resting on the door.</p>
<p>“Yes, Master Kelsang?” There was an impatient tone to her voice.</p>
<p>“Just tell Hei-Ran you were watching over me, she will understand.” He sighed. “Rangi, I know this must be difficult for you.”</p>
<p>Rangi raised her eyebrows. “That’s one way of putting it, I suppose.”</p>
<p>The man looked down at his hands before looking back at her with a hint of tears in his eyes. “No matter what happens, please don’t leave her. She absolutely adores you.”</p>
<p>Those words were an especially hard hit to the gut. All of this was already difficult enough without what was just said. Rangi glanced up at the ceiling to avoid any tears that tried to build. She had cried more in the past day than she would like to admit.</p>
<p>“You know better than anyone that I could never leave her. I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost her.” Rangi looked the monk in the eyes. “Do you truly think she is the Avatar?”</p>
<p>“With my whole heart, I know she is the Avatar.” Kelsang tried to smile but failed miserably. They were both at a loss for what would happen next in this unfortunate puzzle. “Are you going to be able to transition away from Yun?”</p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter who it is. My life is dedicated to protecting the Avatar and I can’t go back on my oath.” Rangi paused for a moment in a beat of awkward silence. There was more to it than Kyoshi being the Avatar that would forever keep her tied to the girl. “I need to go.”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Much of the day was spent with her mother until they realized that they had not heard from or seen Jianzhu, Yun, or Kyoshi all morning and afternoon. Rangi came darting into Kelsang’s infirmary room, nearly out of breath. “Pengpeng is gone.”</p>
<p>Both the monk and Hei-Ran looked at her and then at each other, curious about why the three of them were gone, obviously with Kelsang’s sky bison. “I hate it when he takes Pengpeng without my permission. Everyone seems to think they can take a sky bison whenever they please when they’re friends with the Air Nomad. He’s going to hear it from me when they get back!”</p>
<p>“That’s beside the point!” Hei-Ran scowled at the man. “Where did Jianzhu take them? And without any of us there to help protect Avatar Yu - whoever is the Avatar.” </p>
<p>Rangi could tell there was genuine worry in her mother’s voice, but she didn’t understand why. Jianzhu was one of the Avatar’s masters. There shouldn’t be any concern. </p>
<p>Her mother turned to her. “Rangi, we need to find them. I won’t go into details but Jianzhu has gone through some intense training methods with Yun lately and he may be attempting even worse with both of them.”</p>
<p>“You don’t think he...” Kelsang’s words faded.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran looked as if she could explode. “If he tries to force either of them into the Avatar State,” she trailed off. “We need to find them right now.”</p>
<p>Kelsang pulled the sheets back and began to get out of the infirmary bed. </p>
<p>“What are you doing? You’re hurt.” </p>
<p>Rangi watched in slight amusement as Hei-Ran tried to keep Kelsang from getting out of bed. Her mother was just slightly shorter than her but Kelsang was significantly taller and broader than either of them. </p>
<p>“Hei-Ran! Stop!” His deep voice boomed in the small room, causing both of the Firebenders to skirt back on their heels. “My daughter is out there, with a man that is very desperate to keep his name in high standing. She’s not a trained fighter. She’s not even a trained earthbender! I need to find her and I need to protect her.” </p>
<p>He stood up and looked down at both of them. “Also, he took my sky bison without permission, again! I’m going to ring his neck myself.” </p>
<p>Hei-Ran glared upwards. “Then what do you suppose we do? Split up and search them down?”</p>
<p>The monk slowly limped past Rangi on his way to the door, grabbing his freshly mended airbending staff that was leaning against the wall. “Hei-Ran, work your way around Yokoya. I’ll head towards the mines. Rangi, you stay here in case they come back before we find them.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s shoulders shulked. “Why am I the one that gets stuck here?”</p>
<p>“Rangi, do not question Master Kelsang.” Hei-Ran turned towards her daughter.</p>
<p>“I’m not question-”</p>
<p>“As your commanding officer, I am giving you orders to stay here and wait. Do you understand?” Her mother was now standing directly in front of her.</p>
<p> Rangi looked the woman in the eyes. “You don’t have to specify that you’re my commanding officer. It’s not like you act like much of my mother nowadays.”</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence between them and she could tell that her mother was reaching her limit. “We will discuss these issues when I get back, young lady.” Hei-Ran spoke between gritted teeth.</p>
<p>“It’s funny that I didn’t have these issues when Father was still around.” Rangi growled right back. Her and Hei-Ran stared at each other until Kelsang cleared his throat. The young soldier broke her gaze and rushed out of the room, punching the door on her way out. Splinters poked out from the small indention that was made.</p>
<p>Rangi strode down the hallway. The look on her face was so stern that any servant that saw her approaching ran away in whichever direction was opposite of the impending doom. It angered the girl that she was being used as a worthless sentry guard when she was trained in escape and evasion. If it was anyone that was able to find the small group, it would be her.</p>
<p>Her mother had sunk back into treating her as only a soldier nearly nonstop, leaving her feeling parentless. Some days, she wanted to be with her mother. She wanted to be able to sit with her over tea and discuss little personal things, not just training and orders. The conversation later was not going to be enjoyable and Rangi could already feel herself storming out halfway through.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Hours passed by as Rangi paced back and forth. She muttered her agitations to herself and rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. Auntie Mui had checked on her multiple times throughout the evening and brought her tea as she continued to eyeball the stable from the servant’s entrance. It didn’t help but it at least distracted her for a few minutes as she stress drank the beverages in nearly one gulp.</p>
<p>Her anxiety spiked when it began to drizzle. They were still not back and now a storm was moving into Yokoya at an impeccable speed. Clouds were building in the sky and lightning began to strike near the village. If they weren’t back soon, Rangi began thinking about where else in the surrounding area she could go to find the small group.</p>
<p>There was an ounce of luck on her side though. One strike of lightning lit up a figure in the sky and Rangi immediately recognized it as Pengpeng. They were back. She leaned back against the wall and waited. </p>
<p>The sky bison landed near the stable and within a minute, only Kyoshi came to the entrance and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Rangi standing there. The Firebender stared her down. “Kyoshi, where were you?” Kyoshi was covered in mud. And were those blood stains? She looked beyond the other girl before refocusing. “What happened? Where are the others?”</p>
<p>What Kyoshi told her next was more than Rangi had anticipated. Her mind only caught glimpses of the story as she tried to take in an overload of information. “Then this spirit identified me as the Avatar… it took Yun, and Jianzhu let it as a sacrifice… Jianzhu and I fought… Kelsang came to the rescue… he killed him… went into Avatar State.”</p>
<p>Rangi stepped backwards but fell over her own feet and slammed her head into the low support beam. Her hand shot up and rubbed the pained area. “What?” she whispered to herself at first. “That’s not- What!?”</p>
<p>“That’s what happened,” Kyoshi looked at her. She was soaking wet and dripping water all over the floor. There was a growing panic behind her usually soft green eyes. “I have to go. I can’t stay here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Firebender went back to pacing in the groove that she had gradually created throughout the day. Her fingers touched the ends of her loose hairs. “There’s got to be a misunderstanding. An explanation. You said there was a spirit? It must have played tricks on your mind - that’s been known to happen. Or maybe you simply got confused. Master Jianzhu can’t have… He wouldn’t…”</p>
<p>She was going through every thought in her mind to piece together what could have truly happened. Surely there were some pieces missing and Kyoshi was forgetting to include part of the story. Perhaps Kyoshi blacked out somehow and had a horrible dream? If that was the case, why was she the only one back here? “We’ve got to get to the bottom of this. When Jianzhu gets home, we’ll make him explain himself. We’ll find out what really happened to Yun and Master Kelsang.”</p>
<p>“RANGI! THEY’RE DEAD! I HAVE TO GO!” </p>
<p>Kyoshi’s voice echoed through the entrance and sent Rangi into a stunned silence. She looked into Kyoshi’s eyes and saw nothing but fear and panic in them. The girl pushed past her without another word as Rangi continued to just stand there.</p>
<p>That last exchange made Rangi realize that there was something truly wrong. She had never heard Kyoshi yell like that. It sounded foreign and uncomfortable. It then sunk in that Kyoshi had mentioned being confirmed as the Avatar and going into the Avatar State. Even if Yun was still alive, her duty and oath now belonged to Kyoshi. </p>
<p>Avatar Kyoshi.</p>
<p>It was not that it sounded wrong, but Rangi was beginning to realize that Kyoshi had come to mean more to her than any Avatar ever could. </p>
<p>She looked out into the pouring rain. Years of training had prepared her for protecting the Avatar but this was quickly becoming more than that. Kyoshi was in distress and she had sworn to protect her long before Yun had come along. Without another thought, Rangi took off running towards the stables, dodging the growing puddles and doing everything she could to not slip on the slick mud.</p>
<p>Pengpeng greeted her with a groan and Rangi frowned at the reminder of Kelsang. “Hi girl. We have to get the Kyoshi to safety.” </p>
<p>She gave her a soft pat before continuing on to the stable. There were two stable hands standing in the aisle way. A dark look fell across her face. “Leave. Now.” They scrambled away without a word.</p>
<p>Rangi threw a stall door open and ripped a tarp from off of a pile. It was a stock of supplies for a moment like this. She rummaged through to find her own personal bag and yanked out a rain cloak. With ease, she threw it on over her armor and pulled up the hood. There were no more questions running through her head anymore, just adrenaline in her veins and full certainty that she needed to do everything she could to keep Kyoshi safe.</p>
<p>The bodyguard began to heave the supplies from out of the stall and onto Pengpeng’s saddle, basket by basket and bale by bale. She didn’t want to know about what was going to happen next. Her hands moved quickly as she began to tie down the tarp over all of the supplies. Large rain drops battered against her, immediately drenching anything that was uncovered.</p>
<p>She looked up from under her hood to see Kyoshi standing there, staring up at her in surprise. The girl was delusional if she ever once thought Rangi was going to let her fly off alone. “Let me guess,” she shouted over the downpour, motioning to everything she had packed. “You didn’t pack any food, did you?” </p>
<p>Rangi moved to the edge of the saddle and reached down, first taking Kyoshi’s bag and putting it under the tarp before taking her hand to pull her onto Pengpeng’s back. The Firebender moved to the sky bison’s neck and took up the reins. She looked back at Kyoshi. “We’ll have to fly low and head southwest, out of the storm.”</p>
<p>“Why are you doing this?” Kyoshi seemed to still be in shock that Rangi would have anything to do with what was happening.</p>
<p>“I have no idea what’s going on right now,” she continued to yell over the rain and thunder. Rangi didn’t know exactly what Kyoshi was trying so drastically to run from. Eventually she would make time to understand. “But I’m not going to let you ride off on your own and die in this storm. You won’t last an hour without help.”</p>
<p>They stared at each other from a moment, trying to understand each other’s motives. Kyoshi simply nodded and looked in complete disbelief. There was no more time to waste.</p>
<p>Rangi turned to face forward and snapped the reins with authority. “Up, girl! Yip yip!”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Rain pelted Rangi’s eyes as she squinted, trying her best to see and not be blinded by water. Strands of hair stuck to her face. The hood of her rain cloak had long since been blown down, rendering it useless now.  Wind stirred around them, pushing Pengpeng from side to side when large gusts came crashing through. Rangi did everything she could to keep from getting blasted off of the sky bison’s neck.</p>
<p>The soldier was just going to have to trust that she was navigating them the correct way. There was no telling if their direction was true given how quickly the winds and rain shifted. She looked over her shoulder to see Kyoshi gripping tightly to the saddle's edge. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>Kyoshi looked at her and nodded before shouting back, “Yes! Just keep going!”</p>
<p>Rangi turned back around. She clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth, pushing against the onslaught of rain and wind. With a deep inhale through her nose, Rangi released a battle cry into the storm, challenging whatever nature had to throw at them.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Once the rain had let up completely shortly after dawn, Rangi climbed into the saddle and sat down. She leaned against the pile of supplies to try and relax for a moment. Kyoshi took a seat next to her. They both sighed and stared out at the horizon, witnessing the world wash away any memory of the chaos they had just experienced.</p>
<p>No words were exchanged between them for a while as they took in the calmness around them. Waves below moved softly, their current moving towards the shoreline in the distance. The sea birds glided with the gentle breeze, riding the air effortless. Clouds dissipated and made way for the warmth of the morning sun, revealing orange and yellow hues.</p>
<p>Wind-blasted and drenched, they had made it out of the storm by some miracle. Pengpeng was feeling just as exhausted as they were, as her path began to ramble. All three beings were alive and no longer in danger of wind and lightning. </p>
<p>Rangi rubbed the dark shadows under her eyes. “You’re the Avatar.” She looked down at the back of her hands and spread her fingers. None of this felt real, yet here she was. “After all of this, it’s you.” The girl looked over at Kyoshi with a small frown on her face. “You really had no idea until now?”</p>
<p>Kyoshi shook her head. “I don’t know what went wrong with the search when we were younger, but from what Kelsang told me, it sounded like a complete mess. No one knew. Not even…” There was a hitch in her words. “Not in Jianzhu.”</p>
<p>“I’ve never heard of this happening before.” She closed and opened her fists. “At least not in Fire Nation history. When the Fire Sages reveal the Avatar, it’s a done deal.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t difficult to notice Kyoshi’s slight irritation with the comparison she had used. Rangi continued anyways. “And then there’s a festival.” She sighed and thought back to her favorite memories in the Fire Nation. The festivals were her favorite, and while she hoped to never experience the festival that honored the arrival of the Avatar from the Fire Nation, she still enjoyed any other traditional celebrations they had.</p>
<p>“According to tradition, there’s a celebration bigger than Twin Sun Day. We eat special foods like spiral-shaped noodles. School is canceled. Do you know how rare it is for school to be canceled in the Fire Nation?”</p>
<p>“Rangi, what does that have to do with anything?” Kyoshi looked over at her in exhaustion and annoyance.</p>
<p>She shrugged before stretching her elbows behind her back. “My point is that there are set ways this is supposed to pan out. If you’re the Avatar, you need the trappings of the Avatar. We need to find masters who know what they’re doing to recognize your legitimacy and give the right guidance.” </p>
<p>Rangi stood up and vaulted over the saddle edge onto Pengpeng’s neck and took up the reins once more, now revitalized with purpose. The sky bison dipped lower as she pulled on the reins to direct her towards a small crag that jutted out of the ocean. Yun’s masters and her had found this spot years back and decided to use it as a rendezvous point.</p>
<p>“I’m going to drop you off here, where you can camp safely. There’s a protocol in the event the compound came under attack and I had to flee with the Avatar. Those bags were prepacked; there’s everything you need for a week in them. Once I return to the village and figure the situation out, I’ll bring someone who can help.”</p>
<p>“No!”</p>
<p>The Firebender was nearly pushed off the sky bison as Kyoshi barraged her, ripping the reins from her grip. Pengpeng swerved to the side and roared in complaint.</p>
<p>“Stop that!” Rangi tried to reach for the reins but Kyoshi held them out of reach with her long arm span.</p>
<p>“Rangi, please! You’d only be sending me right back into his hands!” Kyoshi’s voice cracked and fear fell onto every word and letter, but Rangi continued to ignore it.</p>
<p>She jumped forward and grabbed at the reins again and they fought over them for a moment, pulling and tugging. Pengpeng roared again in aggravation. “Let go! You’re being ridiculous!” Rangi yelled over the bellow.</p>
<p>“Rangi, as your Avatar, I command you!”</p>
<p>The Firebender immediately recoiled. Those words made her world come to a halt and the onset of their new reality began. Those words were no longer a joke and a playful jab in the side. Kyoshi, Avatar Kyoshi, had meant them and it was more than audible in her voice. </p>
<p>Rangi blew a long strand of black hair out of her face. It didn’t go very far, the end of it sticking to her mouth. “I suppose I have to get used to you saying that.” She didn’t mean to sound cold or distant but there was not much to say at the moment. Everything she had come to know had been spiraling out of control. It was as if she was being split in two, between being the Avatar’s sworn bodyguard and being the protective, loyal friend that loved Kyoshi with all her heart.</p>
<p>Her life had always centered around duty and honor. It was simple and it maintained the pride and glory she took in her stance to the world and it’s Avatar. She didn’t doubt the legitimacy of the new and official Avatar. None of her training could have ever prepared her for what was happening now though. </p>
<p>It did concern her deeply that Kyoshi was severely novice at earthbending and she had little to no knowledge about political associations, the histories of the Four Nations, or anything that the Avatar should know by her age. </p>
<p>Those thoughts drifted to Yun. Just a day ago, she had spoken with him and now he was gone, stripped away from both of them. The three friends had managed to infiltrate each other’s personal barriers and become what they thought was inseparable. Even with Yun no longer being the Avatar, he was still one of her best friends and she wanted him back now more than ever.</p>
<p>“Yun is gone,” Rangi extinguished the long silence that had formed between them. “He’s really gone.” She stared straight ahead, knowing that neither of them knew how to comfort each other in this moment of realization.</p>
<p>“I’m not ready to confront Jianzhu,” Kyoshi started. “I’m not nearly strong enough yet. I have to find bending masters who can teach me to fight and who aren’t in his pocket.”</p>
<p>The sounds of revenge and hatred fell onto Kyoshi’s words and it began to make Rangi wonder just how far and fast Kyoshi was beginning to spiral out of control. She hoped that this was not the beginning of a complete meltdown. Rangi didn’t want a cold, hate-filled Kyoshi. She wanted her Kyoshi, who smiled and joked with her and loved her, even if just as a friend.</p>
<p>There was no fighting what came next though. Rangi gave in and dragged her hand down her face. “Fine. Bending masters. Where do we want to look first? You’re talking like you have a plan, so let’s hear it.”</p>
<p>“You’re not coming with me. I have to do this alone.” </p>
<p>Rangi’s face fell flat at the weak demand. She had sworn her life to a handful of duties and she wasn’t going to walk away from it now, not this easily. She continued to stare Kyoshi down.</p>
<p>“You’re not coming with me,” Kyoshi repeated. “As your Avatar, I command you to stay behind. Rangi, I’m serious.”</p>
<p>It was almost endearing how much Kyoshi wanted to sound angry and bossy. “With all due respect, I reject your demand.”</p>
<p>She could see a wave of relief fall over Kyoshi but the girl still insisted on changing Rangi’s mind.  “I have no idea how long this journey will take, and there are secrets about me that I haven’t told you.”</p>
<p>“Oh no, Kyoshi’s keeping a secret from me,” she moaned an octave lower than normal. “I think I’ll be okay with whatever your little revelation is, given the last thing you sprung on me was only the most important piece of information ON THE PLANET.”</p>
<p>They both watched the crag pass by. It was their last chance for any form of certainty but they let it go into the distance, putting on their tiles in one hand to see what unlucky fortune lay before them. </p>
<p>Rangi took a deep breath in before exhaling audibly. “We need rest, or we’ll lose effectiveness.” She declared before nestling herself under the corner of the tarp that had come loose. “If you’ve got a destination in mind then I’m taking the first sleep shift. You owe me that much.”</p>
<p>“Rangi.” Kyoshi’s voice barely lowered into the growl that was intended and instead sounded more appreciative of the fact that she had stuck around.</p>
<p>There was not a chance in all the Nations that Rangi was going to leave Kyoshi’s side, especially in a time like now. She was willing to follow this girl to the end of the world and back if she had to.</p>
<p>“Where you go, I go.” Rangi gave Kyoshi one last glance before rolling over onto her side as she yawned. “Besides, there’s only one bison, rocks-for-brains. We can’t split up now.”</p>
<p>She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. There was always very little to worry about when she was with Yun, but Kyoshi was another story that filled every corner of her body with fear for what came next.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Introduction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Rangi and Kyoshi make it to Chameleon Bay and meet the three daofei that we have all come to love.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>7,300 words. The biggest chapter update yet, if I am remembering correctly? Not going to lie, this update got me feeling a little feral and I have thought of A LOT of original stuff for future chapters that I'm so excited to write!</p>
<p>There will likely be a small delay on Chapter 16. Rangshi week is coming up so expect a daily one shot from me Sept. 18th through the 24th. I tried my best to think of unused prompts for the sake of variety and I had extra fun writing them. </p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rangi barely found any solid sleep during her shift. The thoughts in her head would not quit racing and she found herself shivering with anxiety. She slowly sat up and looked over at Kyoshi, who was staring right back at her.</p>
<p>“Have you always cried in your sleep?” Kyoshi softly asked.</p>
<p>The Firebender crossed her legs and looked down while rubbing the back of her neck. “I’ve had sleep terrors for years now. They get worse when I’m under a lot of stress.”</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence. “I’m sorry to cause you that much stress.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes widened at the assumptious apology. “No, no. Kyoshi, you don’t cause me stress. Well, you do. You’re my biggest headache, really.” She quickly realized how much stumbling over her words wasn’t helping.</p>
<p>She stood up and took a spot next to Kyoshi, sitting close enough so that her shoulder pressed against Kyoshi’s upper arm. It made her glad that she had removed her armor before sleeping. “We just lost our best friend and someone we both saw as a father. It’s a little much to take in, considering we did everything we could to save them during our fight with the Fifth Nation.”</p>
<p>“It is a lot to take in.” Kyoshi looked straight ahead. “Rangi, I don’t know if you’re going to want to protect me once I tell you some of my secrets.”</p>
<p>“I can handle your so-called secrets. I’m not going to leave your side, I promise my life on it.” She meant those words more than anything.</p>
<p>Kyoshi was quiet and Rangi let her take the time she needed to figure out what to say. She was certain that whatever information Kyoshi had to tell her would not be new. Auntie Mui knew all there was to know about everyone at the mansion, often knowing more than the ledgers ever mentioned.</p>
<p>She looked out at the water, the sun’s glare reflecting off the water. Her eyes moved to Pengpeng’s fur and she watched it move and sway in the wind like tall grass in a field. Rangi moved her arm over the saddle’s edge and scratched the sky bison’s side. A small snort came from the large animal that made Rangi smirk.</p>
<p>“My parents abandoned me in Yokoya when I was five or six. I lived on the streets for a handful of years before Kelsang took me in. My parents, they were daofei smugglers.” Kyoshi hid her face in her left hand to directly avoid Rangi’s response.</p>
<p>Rangi blinked a few times while she continued to move Pengpeng’s fur through her fingers. That last bit was not what she had been expecting. She didn’t want to believe it.</p>
<p>Kyoshi moved her hand back to her lap and continued. “We are heading to Madame Qiji’s teahouse in Chameleon Bay. We will find my parents’ band of daofei there. I have all the codes and they will help me gain access to the network.”</p>
<p>The Firebender shook her head. “You’re going to trust daofei to help you learn bending?”</p>
<p>“Well, I have you for firebending. And if I can find an earthbending teacher then I can get at least two elements down. After that-“</p>
<p>“You realize Jianzhu has a handful of decades of practicing and perfecting his bending skills, right? And I’ve been working at my skill for a little over ten years now.” Rangi turned and looked at her. “Do you truly think a few months or a year of training is going to be enough to succeed at your plan of vengeance?”</p>
<p>“No, I just-“</p>
<p>“If you would have just been practicing your bending all along, perhaps we wouldn’t be in this predicament. You already have raw strength. You could have been just as good as Yun by now!” </p>
<p>Rangi realized what name had slipped from her mouth and they both soured at the dark reminder. She continued on though, pushing past the pain. “Are you certain this is the only way for you to find training?“</p>
<p>Kyoshi glanced over at her. “It’s the only thing I can think of, Rangi. You can leave me in Chameleon Bay if you want to go back to Yokoya and not destroy your honor with a soon-to-be rejected Avatar.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at the dramatics. “Again, I’m not going anywhere! Stop trying to be a martyr.” Rangi jabbed her elbow into Kyoshi’s side. “Besides, you need to get some sleep.”</p>
<p>Her friend nodded thoughtlessly then paused. “Can you stay close to me?”</p>
<p>Rangi looked down at her lap before glancing over to Kyoshi. “Of course.”</p>
<p>Without another word, Kyoshi laid down and turned on her side so her back was facing Rangi. She was pressed against Rangi’s leg, the contact meant in hopes of comfort. Rangi choked back every feeling that wanted to pour out of her.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>It wasn’t the first time Rangi had witnessed Kyoshi’s restless tossing and turning. Watching the girl nearly pitch herself over the side of Pengpeng’s saddle just a few days ago was enough to keep her from moving away from Kyoshi. The last thing she needed was to lose her to a freak accident.</p>
<p>As she stared into the vibrant sunset, Rangi thought about her mother. There had been a strain between them for several years now but leaving Hei-Ran behind was now weighing on her. It hurt knowing that the last moment between them was an argument. She felt guilty for claiming how much better things would have been if her father was still alive. There was now a very real chance that those were going to be the last words she spoke to the woman.</p>
<p>Rangi cleared her throat and closed her eyes. She didn’t agree with what was happening. She didn’t agree with where they were going. She still didn’t completely understand what was happening or why Kyoshi was so desperate to throw herself into the danger that approached ahead. Full understanding was not needed though, not when it came to Kyoshi. One day she would know but for now, all she could do was play along and make sure Kyoshi didn’t get herself killed.</p>
<p>Her mind drifted to Yun. One of her two closest friends, gone. Their last moment together had been the night before last. They had spent a few hours sitting at the turtleduck pond, watching the sunset as they tried to process what was happening together. Yun had been shattered by what was happening and Rangi had to spend a lot of time talking him away from the resentment that was beginning to build. She had never seen him that emotionally distraught.</p>
<p>As she meditated and reflected on the past few days, it reminded her of all the times that Kelsang would guide her through deep meditative sequences. He would often describe the Spirit World to her. How it was bright and beautiful and full of sights unseen, given that the visitor was in the correct emotional state. There were a few times where they foolishly attempted to get Rangi into the Spirit World, but she was not spiritually enlightened enough. At the end of the day, it often made them laugh at how ridiculous it was to even try. </p>
<p>There was a pain in her leg as Kyoshi’s arm twitched and sent her elbow into Rangi’s thigh. Rangi opened her eyes and looked down at the girl continuing her fitful sleep. She looked up and saw a small shanty town in the distance. Her hand moved to Kyoshi’s shoulder and gripped it with solidarity. </p>
<p>She leaned down a little. “Wake up, we’re here.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi slowly sat up and looked out at the small town between them and the horizon. She turned to face Rangi, a look of nervousness and uncertainty in her eyes. “Are you ready?”</p>
<p>That was a question Rangi had asked herself a long time again, back before any of the past night’s events occurred. It was a question she asked herself just before knocking on Kyoshi’s door every morning after straightening out her uniform. It was a question she asked herself when she first hugged Kyoshi years back. It was a question she asked herself many times over and the answer was always the same. </p>
<p>“I’m ready if you are,” she replied, knowing that this is where their journey together truly began.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Rangi pulled Pengpeng around, circling Chameleon Bay before landing. She leaned over and examined the layout of the dilapidated port town, examining how the pathways turned and which ones were meant for thru traffic and which seemed to be more local paths. This was it, they had officially arrived at the town where their future was unknown. Everything that she was against lay its head in this town.</p>
<p>“There,” Kyoshi said, pointing at the tallest structure. It didn’t take much to tower over the otherwise flat town, especially with a yellow roof mixed in with a bunch of pale green. “That should be Madam Qiji’s teahouse.”</p>
<p>Rangi pulled up, retracing their route through the sky. She continued to look downward, making notes of every escape point from the teahouse as they moved back towards the outskirts of the area. There was no place to land Pengpeng within the town limits, and a sky bison with no Airbender on it was more than suspicious. They were taking a risk with the reconnaissance sweep itself.</p>
<p>There was a small copse on the outskirts of the town, just far enough out of sight. The overgrowth was enough to hide the bison and give her enough to eat while they were gone. Rangi slowly put her armor back on as she watched Kyoshi sooth Pengpeng, petting the beast on the nose before getting a gentle nudge back. </p>
<p>They set out on foot back towards the town. The solid ground beneath their feet was welcomed with two simultaneous sighs of relief. As they approached Chameleon Bay, it became more and more apparent just how much the place was in shambles. </p>
<p>The fields surrounding the outskirts were dry and cracked from weathering of wind and lack of rain. It looked similar to solid rock after so much environmental neglect. The only life that seemed to exist was within the port itself. A surrounding band of slums housed half-raised tents filled with holes and makeshift lean-tos that threatened to fall if the person inside so much as sneezed. </p>
<p>The people looked far worse. Most of them didn’t bother to move, instead opting to crane their heads to watch as the two visitors walked by. A few stood to their feet, ready to protect anything they had left. Their bodies obviously ached from malnutrition and sickness. </p>
<p>It angered Rangi, knowing that there was nobility within the Earth Kingdom that could easily help improve the state of towns like Chameleon Bay without so much as denting their accounts. They were all too far detached from the reality of their citizens though. There was no longer an understanding of how it felt to live without necessities so their greed steered their decisions in what would best benefit them and their closest colleagues.</p>
<p>“People shouldn’t live like this,” Rangi finally spoke up.</p>
<p>She could sense Kyoshi tensing up. “They can and they do.”</p>
<p>“That’s not what I mean.” Rangi took a moment to think about her next words, rubbing her elbow in thought. “I knew about the time you spent in Yokoya on your own, before Jian- before Master Kelsang took you in. Even though you tried to hide it from me.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi’s stride faltered, but she continued forward, choosing to ignore the words that were just spoken to her. It was strange seeing her look so pained and calloused.</p>
<p>“Auntie Mui told me,” Rangi tried again to break through the sudden layer of protection. “Kyoshi, you should never have been put through that experience. The thought of the other villagers ignoring you when you needed them, it makes me sick. That’s why I was always pushing you to fight back.”</p>
<p>A bitter laugh emerged from Kyoshi that made the hair begin to stand on the back of Rangi’s neck. “What was I supposed to do, drop the mountain on them? Smack around a bunch of children half my size? Anything I did would have been completely disproportionate.”</p>
<p>She shook her head, doing her best to change the topic. “Anyway, is the Fire Nation so perfect that prosperity gets shared with every citizen?”</p>
<p>“No,” Rangi remarked quickly, though the question made her think about her Nation’s true current state. “But maybe one day it could be.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi was right though. Any response that she could have given would have been complete overkill. Rangi related deeply to that, as she had been in a similar situation at the Academy. If she would have reacted to any of the tauntings, it would have been deemed excessive and she would have been punished deeply for the breach. Perhaps neutral jing and the means of maintaining honor were more similar than she thought.</p>
<p>They arrived at the true edges of the town, where homemade shanties lined the twisting and angled streets. There was little regard to how the town was laid out. If a stampede came bustling through, it likely made the outline for a new pathway. Rangi had more than memorized the general lay of the area but she let Kyoshi lead the way, curious to see if she could lead them to the right spot. There was also little hurry for her to get to the teahouse.</p>
<p>All of the stores and booths had been closed up for the evening. Most of them were covered in locks, chains, and iron bars, Rangi couldn’t help rolling her eyes at how much her assumptions of Chameleon Bay had been confirmed. Several deer dogs began barking behind the walls and fences of the structures they protected. Rangi clinched her right fist, ready to produce a fire dagger if needed.</p>
<p>Luckily, no one bothered them and nothing tried to attack them. They soon came to a large town square where smack in the middle was their location. The teahouse looked even more out of place on the ground than it did while they were in the air. There were people inside, at least that is what the flickering of lights in the windows signalled.</p>
<p>Rangi looked over at Kyoshi and saw a look of determination that she had never seen until now. Her charge continued forward and she followed as they stepped onto the large, creaking porch. Despite the newfound determination, they approached cautiously as they saw an old man sprawled across the doorway, wrapped in canvas blankets, blocking their entry. His loud snores caused his wispy white beard to flutter like cobwebs in the breeze.</p>
<p>They stood there. Kyoshi looked back at Rangi, who simply shrugged in response. The man jolted awake, slamming his shoulder against the doorframe. He winched then frowned as he looked up at the two of them.</p>
<p>“Who’re you?” he mumbled.</p>
<p>He looked as if he had seen many moments in his life. Yet, here he was, settled on a porch in an old town filled with thieves and impoverished citizens. Rangi watched as Kyoshi dug into her pockets while kneeling down and fished out a few coppers to give to the man. </p>
<p>“Get yourself something to eat, Grandfather.” She said.</p>
<p>Rangi knew that wouldn’t be enough to last him more than a day or two so she reached into her left pocket and produced a silver piece. She kneeled next to Kyoshi and added it to the small pile of coppers. The old man was stunned with shock and Kyoshi glanced back at her, surprised.</p>
<p>“What?” Rangi shrugged, unphased. “Weren’t we just talking about this kind of thing?”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>When they walked through the door, it was no surprise that the interior was halfway finished. Rangi looked up to find that where there should be a second floor, there were only doors that led to the unknown. They could have been rooms, or they could have simply been doors that led to a plummeting fall outside. Any remaining paint on the wall was peeling away and sand and straw lay across the floorboards with tables and chairs arranged on top.</p>
<p>There were less than a handful of hooded figures at the tables in the corners. They paid no mind to Kyoshi and Rangi, or the tragic state of the eroding building. If anything, they perched forward into their cups, trying to remain inconspicuous.</p>
<p>Kyoshi took a seat at a table in the middle and Rangi took a seat in the chair next to her. Rangi continued to eye the surroundings and almost instantly, her eyes settled on a large, heavily constructed Pai Sho table next to them. There was ornate detailing along the edges that easily made it the nicest thing within the entire town. </p>
<p>It made her think of Yun. Pain fell deep in her heart as she thought back to all the times that her and Yun would play. She was the only person that ever had a chance beating him at the game. That meant he always wanted to play several rounds against her. On some of their days off from training, the two would spend an entire day playing just one full game of Pai Sho, waiting to see who made the wrong move first. Kyoshi would spend that whole day by their sides, bored to tears as they engaged in their game of intrigue. She swallowed the memory for now and glanced up to see someone approaching.</p>
<p>She kicked Kyoshi’s chair. A short, young man approached them. Though, with each step, his age seemed to diminish and they were soon looking at a boy obviously from the Si Wong tribes. His sleeves were bound with thin strands of leather and his headwraps hung loosely around his face and neck. It looked as if he was ready to explode in fury. Rangi planted her feet firmly on the ground, ready to attack if anything turned against them.</p>
<p>“What would you like to drink?” he said through gritted teeth.</p>
<p>“Jasmine picked in fall, scented at noon, and steeped at a boil.” Kyoshi replied.</p>
<p>Rangi’s face remained unmoved as her eyes shifted between the boy and her earthbender.</p>
<p>He stared at Kyoshi with contempt. “We have every color blossom known to man and spirit.”</p>
<p>“Red and white will suffice.”</p>
<p>The boy closed his eyes before giving a deadly glare towards the door they entered through. “Lao Ge! You were supposed to keep watch, you useless piece of dung!”</p>
<p>The old man leaned halfway inside with a large smile across his face, seeming slightly less sober than when they had arrived. “I was standing guard, but then those two lovely young women gave me enough money to buy a drink or ten.” His grin only got bigger. “They must have slipped by me while I stepped out to the wine shop. Quite the tricksters, those two.” He threw back his head and took several swigs of the liquor bottle in his hand. His sleeves fell down his arm and revealed that he had more muscle than they originally thought.</p>
<p>With a groan, the boy in front of them ground the heel of his hand into one of his eyes. He stormed off back to the kitchen, muttering curses and expletives towards the old man the entire way. So far, this was going exactly how Rangi had envisioned.</p>
<p>She leaned onto the table, lacing her fingers together. Her shoulders relaxed as she continued to look around, sizing up every occupant inside, especially Lao Ge. </p>
<p>“You know,” she whispered. “You told me we were going to a daofei hideout; you told me you were going to get access to help through daofei code; here we are, I heard you speak it, and yet I still can’t believe this is happening.”</p>
<p>“It’s still not too late for you to get out of here and save your honor,” Kyoshi responded, refusing to look her friend in the eyes.</p>
<p>“It’s not my honor I’m worried about,” Rangi hissed. At the end of the day, she was fulfilling her duty to the Avatar and her self-imposed vow to protect Kyoshi. Whether or not Kyoshi came out of this feeling confident about her decision was the real question.</p>
<p>Before they could get further into the matter, the boy returned with a tray of steaming cups. He placed one in front of Kyoshi, Rangi, and then himself, taking a set across from them. His disposition had changed completely. Rangi’s attention moved to behind the child.</p>
<p>A huge man in his thirties, as tall as Kelsang and half again as thick, blotted out the light coming from the kitchen. It was like watching an eclipse. He wore ill-fitted clothing, aiming for fashion over fit. Rangi’s gaze moved from his scarred knuckles to his feet. It was as if he was floating. His steps never made a single floorboard creak despite his overbearing size.</p>
<p>One of the doors suspended in the wall on the second floor flew open. A young woman stepped out of the room and descended gently to the ground. Rangi noticed small blots of water develop under her feet, as if she was forming a set of stairs beneath her. She was dressed in an Earth Kingdom tunic, but with a fur skirt over her trousers. Something typically worn by members of the Water Tribes. And if that didn’t give away her heritage, then her piercing, sapphire-blue eyes could.</p>
<p>She walked like a feather as well and took her place behind the other shoulder of the boy, next to the large man. Her and Rangi’s eyes met, neither of them making themselves readable to the other or breaking away from the silent challenge. Rangi was genuinely interested in how Kyoshi was going to respond given the extra threat that had been added.</p>
<p>The Si Wong boy put his elbows on the table and tented his fingers. “You come in here, total strangers, unannounced.”</p>
<p>“I have the right,” Kysohi’s face remained unflinched. “I gave the passwords. You are obligated to provide me and my partner succor, by the oaths of blood you have taken. Lest you suffer the punishments of many knives.”</p>
<p>“You see, that’s just it.” The boy now slouched back in his chair. “You’re using these big, old timey words like you’ve got these grand ideas of how this is supposed to work. You rattle off a senior code that we haven’t heard in years like you’re pulling rank on us. You did it like you were reading from an instruction manual.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi swallowed involuntarily, and loudly at that. She was able to rattle off a few quick lines at first but once she was cornered, she froze. This was something they would need to work on once Rangi dragged her out of here, likely kicking and screaming. Rangi began to store energy as she anticipated this only getting worse. </p>
<p>He tilted his head at Rangi. “Coupled with the fact that Gorgeous over here practically screams ‘army brat,’ it makes me think the two of you are lawmen.”</p>
<p>“We’re not,” Kyoshi was quick to bat away the accusation. “We’re not abiders.”</p>
<p>The few occupants in the teahouse threw coins onto their tables and hastily left through the front door. Rangi moved her hands to her lap and looked over the three daofei in front of them, examining each of them. The boy placed a small, hard object on the table with a click. He withdrew his hand to reveal an oblong stone. An Earthbending and a sharp shooter, Rangi noted.</p>
<p>“I’m pretty good at spotting an undercover,” he started again. “And I think this is your story. Your daddy bought you an officer’s commission from a crooked governor, and the first thing you decided to do with it is play detective and come knocking on our door.” He pointed his thumb at Rangi. “She was assigned to watch your back, but she didn’t do a very good job, because you’re here now, and you’re going to die. The cause will be recorded as acute terminal stupidity.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s mind began to flash through every way that she could kill the three people in front of her. She thought about several different combinations of movement and strategy. </p>
<p>“I’m telling you, we’re not lawmen,” Kyoshi calmly claimed once more.</p>
<p>The boy angrily kneed the underside of the table hard, knocking over the teacups and spilling the liquid across the surface. </p>
<p>Before Rangi had a chance to react, Kyoshi kicked upwards as well. She pulled up the foundation beneath the teahouse, jolting the already unstable building. If Rangi had not already witnessed the sudden power of Kyoshi’s bending, she would have been thrown off guard as much as the daofei. The boy nearly fell out of his chair. His bodyguards were off balanced, the shocked looks on their faces said it all: this didn’t happen very often.</p>
<p>Kyoshi spoke over the groans of resettling wood as the dust settled in clouds around them. “You’re right, I don’t belong here.”</p>
<p>There was no attacking. The daofei had an introduction to the power they were going up against and now they were feeling less urgency to brawl head on. Lucky for both Kyoshi and Rangi, they were still unaware of how vastly untrained Kyoshi was in bending. Their caution bought her time to continue speaking as Rangi began to solidify plans on how to take down their now enemies.</p>
<p>“The truth is that I despise daofei,” Kyoshi flatly stated. “I hate your kind. It makes me sick to be in your presence. You’re worse than animals.”</p>
<p>“Uh, Kyoshi?” Rangi questioned as the big guy and the woman sidled into better flanking positions. “Not sure where you’re going with this.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi didn’t move. Instead, she continued to stare down the boy across the table from them. “But that doesn’t matter right now. You are going to give me everything I demand, because you are bound by your outlaw code. You will do as I say because of your idiotic, clownish, make believe traditions.”</p>
<p>With those words, Rangi cautiously rose from her chair and prepared for a fight. Just before either side could make a move, Kyoshi pulled something from her belt and slammed it onto the table. It was a gold leafed fan, spread wide and gleaming. The Waterbender and the big guy stopped in their tracks. The boy looked as if someone had stolen the breath right from his lungs.</p>
<p>“Spirits above!” Lao Ge gasped. “That’s Jesa’s fan!”</p>
<p>The appearance of the old man at the table startled both sides equally. He’d managed to squeeze in between Rangi and Kyoshi without them noticing, and he leaned inward, giddily examining the details of the weapon.</p>
<p>The boy leaped out of his seat and pointed at the fan. “Where did you get that?” he shouted.</p>
<p>“I inherited it,” Kyoshi quipped back. “From my parents.”</p>
<p>The Water Tribe girl looked at her with wonder. “You’re Jesa’s daughter?” she paused. “Jesa and Hark were your mother and father?”</p>
<p>“That’s right. My parents founded this group. They’re your bosses.” Kyoshi spoke with a veil of confidence that Rangi could see right through. The mentioning of her parents was a subject that seemed to continuously tear her apart.  </p>
<p> “Our baby has come home!” Lao Ge crowed. “This calls for a drink.” He stepped back and began to make headway on his third bottle of the night.</p>
<p>The boy was still angry, but in a different tone now. “We need to confer for a minute.” He snatched up his rock from the table and pointed accusingly at Kyoshi. “In the meantime, I suggest you get your story straight, because you have a lot of explaining to do.”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Rangi’s stare moved to Kyoshi and settled there. “She does.”</p>
<p>Once the daofei members were out of earshot, Kyoshi finally turned to face Rangi as she sat back down, only to recoil slightly once she saw the look on the Firebender’s face.</p>
<p>“What? This happened the way I said it would. We’re in. This is the first step to gain access to this world.” </p>
<p>Rangi remained unmoved. </p>
<p>“I told you everything before we landed.” Kyoshi continued to spill words. “The truth about my parents being daofei smugglers who abandoned me in Yokoya. Rangi, you came in here with me knowing this.”</p>
<p>It seemed that she did not make her intentions clear enough yet. What they were doing here was far from what was in question now. Instead, it was Kyoshi’s suddenly blunt and overbearing mannerisms. Rangi’s eyes glanced down at Kyoshi’s leg as it shook rapidly up and down. She used to do the same thing years back until it was trained out of her. Showing any form of distress during formal meetings was not well received in the Fire Nation. </p>
<p>“As bizarre as it is for me to say this, your secret family history is not the issue,” she stated. “Don’t you think you played that situation a little… aggressively?” </p>
<p>Kyoshi seemed taken aback that Rangi would be asking about her aggression. “It’s the kind of behavior these people respect. Tagaka knew we were calm and rational, and look what she tried to do to us.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s teeth clicked and her jaw twitched. “You didn’t see yourself back there. It was like you were begging them to attack you. There’s being brave, and then there’s having a death wish.”</p>
<p>She reached out and clamped her hand on Kyoshi’s thigh to still the shaking. “We’re not in our element. You might have the keys to certain doors, but this is not our house. You have to be more careful.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi closed her eyes and sighed before looking back at Rangi. “I’m sorry, all right?” </p>
<p>It was a conversation that was going to have to be saved for later and a skill that Rangi was going to have to train Kyoshi in eventually. For now, the two of them needed to stay together and move as a team. They needed to remain collected in front of the gang that walked back towards them.</p>
<p>She gave Kyoshi’s leg once last reaffirming squeeze of support before letting go. The Si Wong boy, Water Tribe woman, and bulky man arranged themselves in front of Kyoshi with great formality. The man made a fist in one hand and placed his other hand on top, open and palm down. It was the gesture made by daofei when greeting accepted guests.</p>
<p>“Flitting Sparrowkeet Wong,” he said, bowing slightly. It was an appropriate name given how he moved in silence.</p>
<p>The Waterbender stepped forward. “Kirima. Just Kirima.” She seemed to not believe in the formality of professional names.</p>
<p>“Bullet Lek,” the boy snapped with great pride. He rearranged his head wraps behind his ears to a more dignified, indoor style. “Though some call me Skullcrusher Lek, or Lek of the Whistling Death.”</p>
<p>Rangi raised an eyebrow in amusement and looked at his two companions. They were both rolling their eyes and shaking their heads at their other companion. “Kyoshi,” the girl next to her said. “This is my associate, Rangi.”</p>
<p>The introduction made her snort in dismay. Associate. It felt like a downgrade of her actual title. She couldn’t believe that Kyoshi was so willing to give their actual names to the thieves. It was too late now. Rangi knew she simply had to follow Kyoshi’s lead, tactfully sidestepping and repairing anything negative that came their way.</p>
<p>“How did you come to us tonight?” Kirima asked. “Start as far back as you can.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi bit her bottom lip and thought for a moment. “I don’t remember much from when I was little,” she started. “Only that my parents and I never stayed in one place very long, and they never told me where. You could say I grew up in ‘the Earth Kingdom.’”</p>
<p>Lao Ge stepped into the group. “That would have been before any of you joined. Jesa and Hark slowed down considerably for several years and barely ran any jobs. They never told me why they stopped gathering the old crew for so long. I thought maybe they’d quit the game.”   </p>
<p>Rangi watched as Kyoshi’s face went from already miserable to grim. “Well, they must have wanted back in very badly, because they abandoned me in a farming village when I was five or six. I can’t be sure exactly when. I never saw them after that.”</p>
<p>If Kyoshi’s parents were still alive, Rangi would have tracked them down and grabbed them by their throats by now. It angered her to no end that Kyoshi had suffered for so long because of them. The fact that the future Avatar could have died on the streets was bad enough, but it being Kyoshi made it even worse. Kind, beautiful, genuine, hard-working Kyoshi. Her blood boiled and Rangi snapped herself out of her thought spiral before she stood up and destroyed the place.</p>
<p>“Shut up and let her finish.” Kirima snapped at Lek. Rangi must have missed part of the conversation.</p>
<p>“There’s not much more to tell,” Kyoshi shrugged. “I nearly died of neglect in that village before I was taken in by the household of a rich and powerful man. A sage. The only possessions I had to my name were my mother’s gear and her journal, which had information about my parents’ daofei customs, obligations I could call on. It was an instruction manual. Like you said.”</p>
<p>She glanced at Rangi. “I kept my parents’ past a secret from the village the whole time. Given how I was treated as an outsider, I don’t think I would have fared well if the townsfolk knew I was also the spawn of criminals.”</p>
<p>Rangi clenched her jaw. She couldn’t help but wonder how knowing that information much earlier would have changed her view of Kyoshi. It would have taken her longer to trust the girl, she knew that much. But, it wasn’t likely that things would have been any different, just as they were now. Knowing Kyoshi’s true background didn’t diminish her thoughts or opinions of the Earthbender at all. If anything, it made Rangi respect her more for not turning towards the life of a criminal sooner. </p>
<p>Then again, she looked across the table once more to see the daofei staring back at them, here they were. She had known four years ago that taking care of Kyoshi was going to be the equivalent of herding a coop of possum chickens. This is what she unknowingly signed up for and she was going to ride it out until the end. </p>
<p>“And one day you just decided to leave and come here?” Lek asked. He was still incredulous to everything said.</p>
<p>“I did not just decide,” Kyoshi snarled, turning her attention back towards Lek. “The man whose house I lived in decided, when he murdered two people dear to me. I swore by the spirits that turn this world on its axis that I would make him pay for it.</p>
<p>“That’s why I’m here,” she snapped, pounding her fist on the table. “He’s too powerful and influential to be brought down by the law. So I need the opposite side of the coin. I need my parents’ resources. If they can give me one gift at all in this life, then let it be revenge for those I’ve lost.”</p>
<p>Those words made Rangi sink into her haunches a little. It was the full realization that Kyoshi was serious about murdering Jianzhu. The words were no longer a threat, but a promise, and it was a side of Kyoshi that Rangi had never seen or even wished to see. She looked deeply at the girl, noticing how worked up she had become.</p>
<p>Lek solemnly took his head wraps off and tightened his hands around the fabric. His hair was a sandy brown and flattened from wearing the wraps for an extended time. “You came all this way to find Jesa and Hark,” he stated mournfully. “Kyoshi, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to break this to you, but… but…”</p>
<p>A sharp breath of air shot from Kyoshi’s nose. “What, are they dead or something?” She waved her hand flippantly at the boy. “I don’t care.”</p>
<p>The conversation kept nose diving.</p>
<p>Lek’s grief was immediately replaced by outrage. He slammed his hands on top of the table. “We’re talking about your mother and father! They were taken by a fever three years ago!”</p>
<p>Kyoshi’s eyes narrowed and she leaned forward, her lips straight other than a small smirk of cruelty in one corner of them. “Wow. I guess there’re some things you can’t outrun, huh?”</p>
<p>“How can you be so vile? No one in the Four Nations disrespects their own kin like that!” He looked as if he was going to leap across the table and strangle the girl. </p>
<p>“They left me behind because I took up too much cargo space. So I would say it’s family tradition.” Kyoshi tried to snap the war fan closed, perhaps in one last feeble attempt to be intimidating, but the ribs got caught on themselves and folded haphazardly. Rangi closed her eyes while placing her right pointer finger on the bridge of her nose, slowly shaking her head.</p>
<p>“I’m not here to confront my parents, or their ghosts.” Kyoshi’s voice was calmed. “I’m here to seek what’s owed me by blood ties. I want access to safehouses in the bigger cities where I can stay hidden at length. I want introductions with the rest of the network, starting with the strongest benders. And, most of all, I want training. Training until I’m strong enough to take down my enemy personally.”</p>
<p>There was a silence between the five of them.</p>
<p>Kirima choked in amusement before laughter spilled from her mouth. “Other cities!” she guffawed. “Let me guess. Your journal mentioned secret bases in Ba Sing Se, Omashu? Gaoling maybe? Filled with a brotherhood of bandits who honor the old ways?”</p>
<p>Wong’s mouth twitched. “I’ll blow my trumpet. I’m sure they’ll come running.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi frowned. “What’s so funny?”</p>
<p>Kirima spread her arms and motioned to the large room around them. “This is our one and only base of operations. This is the network. Us. Whatever assistance you thought you could personally demand outside the law ends here, within these walls.”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Rangi could have slammed her head against the table, the wall, anything. Her eyes landed on Kyoshi and never looked away. She could only think of one time where she felt this beat down and tired, and it was right before her first Agni Kai. This moment was slowly closing in on taking first.</p>
<p>She had spent four years chasing the girl next to her, keeping her safe and taking care of her, only for all of this to be happening. Kyoshi likely didn’t even know a quarter of what Rangi did or had done for her. And that was fine. Rangi never did anything out of the need for praise. She did what she did because Kyoshi was her greatest friend and she deserved a better life now than how it started.</p>
<p>But, it felt as if the cord on her anchor had been snapped and she was now floating helplessly in a sea of the unknown with waves of Kyoshi’s decisions crashing over her relentlessly. This was spiraling out of control at a faster rate than what she could keep up. She looked over and could see that Kyoshi felt the same way. They were both weary and ready for this to end at any moment.</p>
<p>“We’ve fallen on hard times,” Wong began to explain. “Crackdowns on smuggling across the Earth Kingdom have been pretty severe in recent years. We’ve been cut off from gangs in other cities without much news or any jobs to speak of.”</p>
<p>“Your journal must be at least a decade old, with entries that go back further,” Lek joined. “In those days, groups like ours had real influence. We had territory. The governors asked us for permission to do business.”</p>
<p>“Lek, you would have been three years old during our heydey,” Kirima said. “We hadn’t even picked you up yet.”</p>
<p>He wheeled on her furiously. “That means the rest of you should be more upset than me!”</p>
<p>“We understand,” Rangi interrupted. “It’s painful to know what should have been.” She couldn’t help but feel like she was right about the results of this entire ordeal. Now, they just needed to make their exit and figure out a new plan.</p>
<p>Rangi turned to Kyoshi. “Kyoshi, we tried. You did what you could. But this isn’t what we came for.” She glanced over the doors on the second story. “We could stay here overnight, perhaps, but it’d be no safer than camping. We should get back to Pengpeng and fly to the nearest-”</p>
<p>Lek slammed his hands on the table again. “Fly?” His voice went shrill with excitement. “You flew here?”</p>
<p>The other two perked up. “Are you telling me you have a sky bison?” Kirima grinned, an interested gleam in her eye.</p>
<p>Rangi cursed at her slipup. She knew better than to let a detail like that escape. Kyoshi responded for her. “Why? What difference would it make?”</p>
<p>“Because now you have something we want,” Kirima stepped forward while Lek bounced off the walls. “Being Jesa and Hark’s kid means we’re obliged to keep you safe from harm. It doesn’t mean we’ll follow your orders or help you on some personal quest for vengeance. You want that level of commitment, then you make us an offer.”</p>
<p>“No,” Rangi snapped. “Forget it. We’re not giving you our bison. We’re not giving you anything of the sort.”</p>
<p>“Simmer down, Topknot. I’m merely suggesting a partnership. We need to get out of this dried-up town to where the prospects are better. Kyoshi wants training. We should travel together for a while. It’s her best shot at finding earthbending teachers of ill repute.”</p>
<p>Rangi was still opposed to the idea and turned to Kyoshi. “We didn’t come here to revive a two-bit smuggling operation. We’d just be taking on more risk than we need.”</p>
<p>“First of all, our operation was top-notch!” Lek growled, full of umbrage. “And second, you two are the baggage here. You wouldn’t last a day moving in our circles without a guide. For crying out loud, we almost killed you!”</p>
<p>Rangi narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. “Is that your impression of what happened?” She was perfectly willing to test his theory. Kyoshi was now burying her face in her hands.</p>
<p>“It is my impression because it’s true!” Lek leaned over the table.</p>
<p>“I could take all three of you before you would even know what happened! Especially you, you little twerp!” She yelled back, leaning forward as well.</p>
<p>“Who are you calling twerp, you lackluster firebender! You can’t even keep your charge out of harm’s way!”</p>
<p>“Call me that again and I will burn you into a thousand crisps!” Rangi screamed as she began to raise her fist.</p>
<p>Lek lowered his voice and slowly began to repeat his previous words. “I said, you’re lackluster fire-”</p>
<p>He was interrupted by an empty bottle slamming on the table. Both Rangi and Lek’s attention snapped towards Lao Ge, who stood there smiling with the greatest amusement. He was looking right at Kyoshi.</p>
<p>“I know it’s a tough decision, my dear girl,” he slurred on his words while he cocked his ear towards the door. “But don’t take too long. The police are coming.”</p>
<p>Rangi closed her eyes and exhaled with exasperation. This whole time, just when it couldn’t get any worse, it managed to do just that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Escape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Phew! There’s been a lot going on in the past week! Good news: my schedule next week opens up quite a lot and updates should become more frequent again.</p><p>I hope you all enjoy the one shots I was able to get out during Rangshi week. There are two WIPs still and they will eventually get posted.</p><p>Also, thank you for the AMAZING amount of support from this fandom! You all make my heart skip and bring such a large smile to my face.</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sound of marching boots hitting the road filled the air. “You stupid old man!” Lek shouted. “I’m never putting you on watch again!”</p><p>“Finally!” Lao Geo said.</p><p>Rangi watched as officers wearing constabulary green filed into the teahouse. They hustled in and filled out the entire front part of the teahouse. Twenty or so, all wearing quilted armor with dao broadswords on their backs, stared at them with stringent looks. At the front of the squadron were three men in plain clothes and wearing prefectural headbands, a badge of the law. They were the same men from earlier that had scrambled out after witnessing part of Kyoshi’s demands.</p><p>“Remind me again who’s good at spotting undercovers, Lek?” Kirima snarled.</p><p>They had reported the criminal action and were there to take Kyoshi into custody, as well as any of her accused accomplices. This is exactly what Rangi thought would happen but she knew reminding Kyoshi of that would not help the situation. It was foolish to ever involve oneself with outlaw codes and conduct.</p><p>“In the name of Governor Deng, you are under arrest!” the Captain shouted. He pointed a truncheon at them. While they were effective weapons, Rangi was more than trained to deal with something so simple. She could easily burn the baton to ashes. “Put down your weapons!” </p><p>Governor Deng. Rangi looked up at the ceiling and sighed to herself. She hoped that the Captain did not recognize her and tell Deng about her being there. If word ever got back to her mother about her being associated with the daofei, she would be sent back to the Fire Nation without any other questions asked. </p><p>She looked over at Kyoshi, who glanced at her. It was an acknowledgement that if they were caught tonight, there would be no more. Kyoshi’s entire operation for vengeance would be shattered. This moment was becoming the true determinant on how Rangi was going to proceed. She was being confronted by the law and yet, she was part of a higher order. Her code and decree to the Fire Nation Army and the Avatar was now being threatened. </p><p>It was her that determined her own honor though and as long as she was steadfast in her tasks, then who was anyone else to question her decisions? Protect Kyoshi. Protect the Avatar. If the Avatar wanted to fight the law instead of making peace, then she was going to always be ready for a confrontation. There was never a reason to do things by halves. It had to be done in full-measure with no hesitation.</p><p>Their look at each other did not please the Captain and he shouted once more. “I said put down your weapons!” He was ready for a fight.</p><p>Considering everyone else was empty-handed, the only items that could be seen as weapons were Kyoshi’s fans. Kyoshi looked around and then at her hand. She then stood up, reaching for the other fan in her belt, and Rangi’s eyes shifted to see all of the officers stare in astonishment. It amused her to see people intimidated by Kyoshi’s full height.</p><p>The Captain stepped back. “Take them!” he shouted.</p><p>Five officers headed directly towards Kyoshi. Rangi stepped forward and punched her right fist towards them, a blast of fire knocking down the attackers. Smoke trickled from her fist and she looked for the next people willing enough to test her commitment. </p><p>Her action inspired the daofei to join in. Wong threw Lao Ge into the Captain, turning the skirmish into a full-on bar brawl where they were sorely outnumbered. Every officer became more hastey in their approach. Rangi took another step and shot a blast of fire right past Kyoshi and towards two guards that had made it into her blind spot. Kyoshi was frozen, unsure of what to do with the men approaching her with their swords drawn. Rangi watched as Kyoshi picked up the Pai Sho table and swung it in an arc.</p><p>It plowed through the policemen as if they were cornstalks getting harvested as more came running through the door. Rangi kicked out to her right. A wave of flame from her foot pushed three more policemen back. A man with a sword held overhead charged her and she ducked under his arms as he swung downwards. She shoved her shoulder into his stomach and stood up, sending the man flipping over her. </p><p>Her hand reached out and grabbed the wrist of another officer. She pivoted on one foot and kicked him square in the ribs, breaking them on impact. Rangi then grabbed the back collar of the man’s armor, swept her foot hard against his heels, and slung him backwards into the ground. Before anyone else could approach, she stepped in closer to Kyoshi and continued to defend her.</p><p>“Girl!” Lao Ge’s voice could be heard over the commotion. “Bump the table!”</p><p>Kyoshi gave a single nod as she raised her foot high and stomped on the floor. The teahouse jumped into the air again, this time tilted higher from the back. Lao Ge and several policemen fell through the door as Rangi placed her hand on Kyoshi’s mid back, gripping at fabric to steady her stance.</p><p>“Out the other side!” Lek yelled.</p><p>“What about Lao Ge?” Kyoshi replied with concern.</p><p>“He can handle himself! Move!”</p><p>She flung the Pai Sho board at the nearest officers as Rangi grabbed the sleeve of Kyoshi’s robes to pull her in the right direction. They ran through the kitchen. It was mostly empty, with only a single smoldering clay stove. Another door gave way, and they were in the town square behind the building.</p><p>The passage had been disguised, painted over without a frame, and there were no windows so it was the side of the house that was least well-guarded by the police. Only two men held positions on that side of the teahouse. Rangi watched as Lek sent two small stones hurling in their direction. They hit the men with speed and precision, instantly sending them crumpling to the ground. </p><p>He turned to Rangi and Kyoshi. “Where’s your ride?”</p><p>“Southwest corner of town.” She began striding forward. “If everyone follows me, I can get us there.”</p><p>There was a rumbling and a harsh scraping of clay from above. A large portion of the roof came sliding down, nipping at their heels as they all began to run away. Rangi made for the edge of the square, seeking out the best alley to get them tucked out of sight. She looked up at the moon and then down towards the teahouse to reaffirm which direction they were running. </p><p>She counted the buildings from right to left and found the path she had made earlier during their reconnaissance. “This one!” Rangi darted down the passage and into the darkness. Before anyone had a chance to follow, a thick stone wall shot up from the ground, reaching the height of the neighboring roofs, closing off the exit route. Rangi came skidding to a halt and turned to look behind her at the wall. </p><p>Before she could process what happened, Lek came stepping over the obstacle, small bits of earth forming under his feet before falling to the ground as dust. It was a technique she had never seen before in any bending discipline. He landed with both feet on a rooftop and looked down at her with a smug grin. </p><p>Following right behind him was Kirima, stepping seamlessly on little water jets. She effortlessly moved towards the ground and stood next to Rangi. “You look a little stunned, Topknot. I’d like to see you try that.”</p><p>“I’m more concerned about Kyoshi!” Rangi yelled in the woman’s face. “I have to get her.” She began to make her way towards the wall but Kirima grabbed her arm.</p><p>“She will figure something out. How will she ever learn to think on her feet if you’re always getting her out of situations like this?” Kirima looked at her with a straight face.</p><p>As much as Rangi did not want to admit it, the Waterbender was right in a sense. “What if she gets captured?”</p><p>“Then we will save her. She is Jesa and Hark’s kid. Us daofei aren’t completely heartless, you know.” The woman let go of Rangi’s arm and ran towards the same rooftop that Lek, and now Wong, stood on. Rangi turned once more towards the earthen barrier before jogging away to the rooftop. </p><p>Jetstreams came from both of her feet that lifted her upwards and she joined the three daofei on top of the building. Rangi looked down and saw Kyoshi make a decision to run towards a different alley. One that led in a completely wrong direction. She smacked herself in the forehead. What was she thinking a moment ago, letting Kyoshi attempt to claw her way out of this.</p><p>Kirima chuckled. “You have your hands full, don’t you? Let’s go!” </p><p>Rangi groaned as she turned on her heels and followed the daofei. They ran towards a wide opening between buildings. All she would need to do was scale back on the amount of flame she would typically use to jet herself upwards. On her first running step in the air, she released only a small flame and began to sink towards the ground. She emitted a little more power and found the perfect force before ever getting close to the dirt below.</p><p>With each step, she climbed back up and landed on the next roof. Rangi darted across the clay tiled roof and stepped to the next with ease. The three daofei hollered at her as she passed them, sprinting towards the outskirts of town. </p><p>Rangi looked over her shoulder to spot Kyoshi running two alleys over from them in the wrong direction. She shot her fist into the air and sent a fireball arching upwards in hopes to redirect her towards them. A fear of losing Kyoshi tonight filled Rangi with a small surge of panic. </p><p>She’s resourceful. Just believe she will find a way out, Rangi thought as she looked forward again just in time to leap across an opening. It was wider than anticipated. </p><p>Her toes barely landed on the edge of the next roof as she bent at the knees in hopes to save her balance. Just as she began leaning too far back, a hand grabbed the collar of her shirt and pulled her forward.</p><p>Wong looked down at her as they all stopped to look for Kyoshi again. Rangi sent up another beacon as they waited. There were loud crashing noises, like exploding bricks and mortar. The sounds of wood planks snapping in half filled the air. All four of them began to give each other side glances in wonderment of what they heard. </p><p>Then, they saw the source. It was as if someone had shot a battering ram through the town. Kyoshi was crashing through buildings. Anything that stood in her way was getting demolished. They all took off without a word. Kirima headed towards Kyoshi while Rangi, Lek, and Wong made way for the sky bison.</p><p>She had to get to Pengpeng first. Her legs burned from the intensive running and jumping across town but she increased her speed. She ran nimbly across the roof tiles, and used the small jets as needed. Part of her wanted to admit that she was having a moment of fun from learning a new skill and feeling a surge of adrenaline. Rangi quickly suppressed that feeling and focused once more. It was a poor time to be distracted.</p><p>The houses soon ended and they were left with simply running across the open air. Rangi looked over her shoulder once more and saw Lek gaining speed towards the copse of trees. She rolled her eyes and looked behind her, watching Kyoshi follow right behind them but on the ground.</p><p>It was a sight she had never seen before, Kyoshi sprinting full out. She couldn’t help but admire how the girl’s hair flowed behind her. Kyoshi was so beautiful, and for so long now, it hurt to think about. She somehow had become everything.</p><p>Rangi had always loved Kyoshi. But right now, as adrenaline surged through her, it felt as if every single one of her choices over the past days were becoming solidified. Her heart became even more full and her mind clear. It was in this moment that no matter where they went or what happened, she would love Kyoshi until the very end.</p><p>Her attention snapped back towards Lek. She extended her stride and began to close the space between them as they approached their destination. Lek ran up to Pengpeng, causing her to roar and blast him backwards with a gust of wind. Kyoshi steadied him as she caught up just in time.</p><p>Rangi leaped onto Pengpeng’s neck and deftly unwound the reins from the saddle horn. The daofei and Kyoshi climbed onto the bison’s back. “Get ready for an adventure, Pengpeng.” Once they were all settled, Rangi snapped the reins. “Yip! Yip!” She took them above the tree line.</p><p>“A bison! A real bison!” Lek was screaming and cheering with outrageous enthusiasm. </p><p>“Calm down!” Rangi shouted back towards the saddle. “It’s not like you can’t see them near any Air Temple.”</p><p>“He’s just excited because we used to have one of our own,” Wong said. “Cute little fella named Longyan.”</p><p>Rangi stopped for a moment and thought over the exchange of words. They idled in a small circle. “Wait, how? Only Air Nomads can tame bison. The animals won’t listen to strangers if they’re stolen.”</p><p>“We didn’t steal Longyan,” Kirima glared. “He was Jesa’s bison.”</p><p>Rangi squinted in confusion and turned to Kyoshi. “But wasn’t Jesa… your mother?”</p><p>Kyoshi winced, as if remembering that she left out a detail from everything she had told Rangi earlier that day. On the ground below them, Lao Ge was waving his hands. How he managed to escape all of those policemen was beyond what Rangi was capable of comprehending right now.</p><p>She took Pengpeng lower and Wong reached down, grabbing Lao Ge’s Hand and pulling him upwards onto the saddle. It was done so fluidly that there was no longer a doubt in Rangi’s mind that they once traveled on the back of a bison.</p><p>“I thought we might finally be rid of your stinking hide,” Lek yelled.</p><p>“Not quite so easy,” Lao Ge grinned. “Is anyone else thirsty? I could use -“</p><p>“Shut up!” Rangi snapped, interrupting the useless conversation. She fixed her stare towards Kyoshi once more. “Does that mean what I think it means? About your mother?”</p><p>She was hurt. It felt as if for four years, she never actually knew half of Kyoshi’s life. The constant onslaught of once secret information made her wonder where exactly the spiraling stopped and just how much she actually knew about the girl.</p><p>“Yes,” Kyoshi said sheepishly. “My mother was an Airbender. I’m half Air Nomad.”</p><p>Rangi blinked a few times before letting her gaze wonder somewhere else. Every time they hit what seemed to be rock bottom and she got comfortable enough, the floor would fall through again and send them careening towards the next monumentous discovery or event.</p><p>This was the first time she had ever heard of an Air Nomad becoming a criminal. Otherwise, Airbenders were supposed to be enlightened and free of worldly concerns. They were a harmonious, monastic culture so spiritually pure that every single member had bending abilities.</p><p>Her eyes glanced to Kirima and Wong, who were looking at each other, understanding the awkwardness of the newfound information. Rangi looked at Kyoshi, gradually becoming more furious as the seconds ticked on.</p><p>“What’s everyone looking so sour for?” Lek slapped both of them on their backs with an oversized smile. “We finally have a bison again! Our best days are ahead of us!” He thrust his fists in the air and let out a whoop and holler. “The Flying Opera Company is back in business!”</p><p>*****</p><p>“Rangi?” Kyoshi’s voice broke into Rangi’s thoughts.</p><p>The Firebender had moved forward from her typical seat and was sitting cross legged on top of Pengpeng’s head, between the horns. Kyoshi joined her, sitting close enough that their knees touched. Rangi continued to look straight ahead as she stewed in her multitude of emotions.</p><p>“Rangi. I’m sorry.” Kyoshi mumbled while looking down at her lap. “I truly had forgotten to mention that information about my mother. You know I’ve tried to suppress the details and memories of my parents. I didn’t mean to hurt you though.”</p><p>There was nothing that Rangi could say right now. Her mind had been racing for days and she had more weight on her shoulders than ever before. She was trying her best to process while being constantly blindsided.</p><p>“I should have never kept all of this from you. I-“ she stopped and thought for a moment. “I just didn’t want you to think any less of me. You’re the first friend I’ve ever had and I don’t want to lose you. I’m already such a burden to you and-“</p><p>“Just stop. You’re not a burden,” Rangi stated simply, never breaking her forward focus. “Kyoshi, I don’t want to talk about any of this right now. I need time alone to think.”</p><p>Kyoshi nodded slowly and stood up, leaving Rangi to stare into the dark sky before them. She ran both of her hands slowly down her face and sighed. </p><p>Change had always been difficult for her. Every day, she got up, trained, ate breakfast, went to class with the Avatar, had lunch, went to meetings while Yun had training, trained more, and so forth. For her whole life, days were planned out to the minute. The most change that ever occurred was what food she ate.</p><p>In less than a week, her entire life lost uniformity and left her with nothing to grasp onto except Kyoshi. Even the one thing she had was changing rapidly though. There was a concern coursing through Rangi that Kyoshi was going to get too absorbed in her need for vengeance. What if she became an empty vessel? What if she became an Avatar that was too willing to kill anyone that went against her? </p><p>Rangi’s mind went to her mother. Did she ever have similar issues with Kuruk? There had to be moments where the past Avatar overextended himself towards righting certain wrongs. In this moment, Rangi wished the woman was there to guide her through the tribulations of being the Avatar’s companion. She used her sleeves to wipe the growing tears in her eyes. </p><p>*****</p><p>As soon as they landed for the night next to a dried-up creek, Rangi collected firewood and blasted a stream of flames into it. The pile burned much higher than they needed it to but it would keep anyone from asking her to reignite anything.</p><p>They ate the last of the dried food and Rangi sat in silence, cross-legged and watching everyone as the night went on. One by one, they all went in their different directions. Lao Ge had disappeared. Kirima and Wong both went to sleep. Lek spent a while in the creek bed, collecting polished stones before calling it a night.</p><p>The only person left was Kyoshi, of whom chose to sit right next to Rangi despite there being plenty of open seating around the campfire. Rangi still didn’t want to speak a single word to her as she continued to wallow in how horrible everything was going.</p><p>After nearly an hour of sitting in silence, Rangi laid back on her bed roll. None of this was worth missing sleep over. It was only a matter of time before she was out.</p><p>*****</p><p>It was still extremely dark when Rangi woke up. She was laying on her back as she looked at the stars above them. It had been a long time since she laid next to a campfire and slept on a bedroll. Traveling with Jianzhu and Yun often meant that they were spoiled with staying at one of his many estates or with some other royal family. </p><p>This had been missed though. The simplicity of camping was often nicer to her than the extravagance of any of those places. Yun had gradually become the opposite though. He would often revel in the spoils too much. While she admired Yun when he was the Avatar, she sometimes wondered if he let the fame and fortune get to his head.</p><p>A new wave of hope glowed within Rangi. Perhaps that would be what made Kyoshi’s Avatarhood great in the end. She was the most selfless person. Kyoshi had more humility than Rangi could handle sometimes. </p><p>She looked to her left to see something that made her heart skip a beat. Kyoshi was laying on her side with her face pressed against Rangi’s upper arm and her left hand lightly gripping Rangi’s forearm. Rangi also realized that Kyoshi had placed the good blanket they had tucked aside over her. And that Kyoshi was now barely using a quarter of the blanket in hopes that Rangi had more than enough. </p><p>It made her frustrations dissipate for a moment as she admired the features of Kyoshi’s face in the moonlight. She grabbed the corner of the blanket with her free hand and pulled it back before throwing more onto Kyoshi so the thick fabric fully covered her now. The Earthbender would shiver through an entire night’s sleep if it meant Rangi was comfortable. It was strange to be the one getting protected.</p><p>She gently moved as close to Kyoshi as she could, trying her best to not disrupt any sleep that the girl did get. Kyoshi mumbled softly before adjusting in her sleep. The hand that was on Rangi’s forearm moved so her arm was now draped across Rangi’s midsection. Rangi smirked in amusement as she rested a hand on Kyoshi’s arm. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep to the sound of her heart beating loudly in her chest. </p><p>*****</p><p>Despite the small moment of tenderness last night, Rangi was still angry at Kyoshi. Every decision Rangi had sat back and watched her make had led them to where they were right now: in the middle of a field, next to a dried up creek bed, with a small group of daofei that were probably just waiting for the right moment to double cross them.</p><p>If Kyoshi wanted to learn how to bend the elements, then Rangi was going to give her exactly what she asked. The girl had no formal training and was beginning to walk about as if everything could be mastered in a few months. Even the sheer notion of that sent Rangi’s mind reeling in anger.</p><p>She stared down at Kyoshi and poked the sleeping girl with a toe to the ribs. Kyoshi clawed at the dirt ground and hummed into exhaustion.</p><p>Too bad. “Get up,” Rangi growled. The sun had not risen yet, and the fire still had a few red embers glowing in it. Lao Ge was nowhere in sight and the other three were collectively snoring loud enough to keep any predators away from camp. </p><p>Kyoshi staggered to her feet. The blanket that Rangi had fully placed over her fell off onto the ground. “Wha-what?” She blinked her eyes slowly and ran her fingers through her long brown hair to push it back.</p><p>Rangi grabbed her arm and began to shove Kyoshi along the river bank. “You wanted training? Well, you’re getting training. Starting today. Now.” The Firebender prodded her sharply every so often for not moving fast enough. They were traveling a good distance from the camp to an area just behind a series of grassy mounds to shield them from the others.</p><p>“Stop. Let’s see your horse stance,” Rangi ordered. “You don’t get a pass on the basics that earthbending has in common with firebending.”</p><p>“We’re firebending? Here?” Kyoshi looked around them.</p><p>Rangi rolled her eyes while placing her hands on her hips. “We’re reviewing basics, not making fire. I doubt you need a lot of nuanced, high-level instruction at this point. Can you even hold a deep bending stance for ten minutes?”</p><p>“Ten minutes?!” Kyoshi screeched in horror.</p><p>The Firebender smirked and narrowed her demanding stare. “Horse stance. Now. I don’t say things to my students twice.”</p><p>*****</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry.” Kyoshi grimaced.</p><p>Rangi rested her elbow in her other hand and examined her nails. “You’re allowed to talk once your hips get to parallel.”</p><p>Quiet curses filled the air as the girl in front of her readjusted her stance. This really was such a nice way of gaining retribution for everything she had been put through so far. Only a few minutes in and Kyoshi’s legs were already shaking.</p><p>“I should have told you my mother was an Airbender. I didn’t think it was relevant.”</p><p>There was one of the handful of apologies that she deserved, but really she didn’t need to hear it in the end. Kyoshi struggling with the pain of horse stance was quite enough. Maybe this would teach her a lesson to stop diving head first into everything. “It is relevant!” Rangi said. “Air Nomads aren’t outlaws! This is like finding out you had a second head hidden under your robes the whole while.”</p><p>Kyoshi continued, likely in hopes that it would help her campaign. It wouldn’t as Rangi had no remorse when it came to training. “My mother was a nun born in the Eastern Air Temple. I don’t know much about her early life other than she became a master at a young age and was highly regarded.</p><p>“Then, on a journey through the Earth Kingdom, she met my father in a small town somewhere. He was the daofei. An Earthbender and a small-time thief.”</p><p>Rangi sighed and closed her eyes in dismay. “Ugh, I can already see where this is going.”</p><p>“Yes. He dragged her into a scheme, and she fell in love with both him and the life of an outlaw. She must have been born into the wrong existence as an Air Nomad, because she tattooed over her arrows with serpents and dove into the underworld with her whole being, seeking out more ‘adventure.’”</p><p>Rangi shook her head, still not able to get over an Airbender going rogue. “That’s just… so bizarre.”</p><p>“You heard the others talk about her. She became a relatively big figure among daofei, more so than my father. But her airbending suffered from a spiritual taint. Or so her journal says. Letting herself be absorbed by worldly concerns, and greedy ones at that, caused her power to dwindle. So she compensated.”</p><p>“With a set of fans,” Rangi said, snapping her fingers at the mystery finally being solved. “For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why you had fans as an Earthbender. I didn’t ask because I thought it might have been a touchy subject.”</p><p>“It is.” Kyoshi stared directly at Rangi, obviously trying to level with the growing pain she was feeling in her legs by now. “Why do you think I never told Kelsang? ‘Oh, by the way, I’m the product of one of the worst disgraces to your culture in recent memory?’ By the time I was old enough to consider bringing it up, there was no point. I had my job. I’d met you.”</p><p>It truly seemed that Kyoshi had thought Rangi would have abandoned her altogether if she had known about her past before now. Rangi shook it from her mind. “Five minutes. Not bad.”</p><p>Kyoshi sat deeper in the stance and straightened her back with newfound confidence. “I think I can keep going.”</p><p>Rangi grinned as she took a lap around her, checking her posture from all angles. “It’s galling. A master Airbender abandoning her spirituality for a lowlife. No offense.”</p><p>“None taken. It doesn’t sit well with me either.”</p><p>Rangi stepped in closer behind Kyoshi, hovering over her. She poked Kyoshi in the small of her back and lowered her voice. “Promise me you’ll never throw your life away over a boy.”</p><p>That statement elicited a laugh from Kyoshi. “I won’t. Besides, who could possibly be worth-”</p><p>Kyoshi didn’t finish the sentence and Rangi was glad she didn’t. There had already been enough said. Her face crumpled as she turned away, feeling a wave of grief and sadness wash over her. It was a storm inside of her that would need to be tamed.</p><p>Rangi had to remain strong though. She needed to cling onto those moments of happiness she had with the people they had lost. It was the only way she was going to keep Kyoshi from spiraling deep into a hole of vengeance.</p><p>The last words from Kyoshi weighed on her. While she made her request in a mix of jest and disdain, she began to wonder if Kyoshi would ever see her in the same light. Rangi had thrown away every familiarity for a girl that perhaps saw her as nothing more than a best friend and bodyguard.</p><p>“Let me try producing flame,” Kyoshi said.</p><p>Rangi looked up and frowned. It amazed her how unknowing Kyoshi was towards the process of training. After two years of watching at the mansion, it would be thought she would understand how everything worked. Then again, it was difficult to fully grasp the methodology when Yun was never going to be capable of firebending in the first place.</p><p>“Fire fists,” Kyoshi continued. “I think I can do them with real flame now. I feel like it’ll work.”</p><p>“No,” Rangi said.</p><p>“No?” Kyoshi gave her a surprised but disgruntled look. “What do you mean, no?”</p><p>“I mean no.” she snapped back. “You’re as tense as a rolled-up armadillo lion right now. You’re going to produce the wrong kind of flame and develop bad habits. Watch.”</p><p>Rangi stepped to the side and slid her foot across the ground to get in stance. She inhaled before punching the air on the exhale, controlling the energy that coursed through her arm. All that came from her fist was a soft glow and a barely visible line of smoke. </p><p>“You need to work on relaxation and mental coordination first.” Rangi stepped out of her stance and faced Kyoshi again. “Early lessons in firebending are all about suppressing flame and keeping it controlled. For a beginner, making visible fire means failure.”</p><p>Kyoshi scoffed barely loud enough for Rangi to hear it, but she heard it none the less and was unamused. “Then let me try what you did.” She planted her feet in mimicry of Rangi and tightened her fists.</p><p>Rangi snarled. “Kyoshi, don’t.”</p><p>The demand was useless. Kyoshi inhaled deeply and struck out. Just like she had seen a hundred times before while training new Firebenders, fire popped and sparked from Kyoshi’s fist. Rangi folded her arms and watched as Kyoshi yelped and fell backwards, scrambling to control her aim. A small plume of black smoke smoldered from her fingers.</p><p>Rangi’s eyes moved upwards as she watched the smoke dissipate above them. Then she looked down at Kyoshi, anger stacking higher and higher inside as they locked stares with each other. </p><p>Just as she was about to explode with a string of explicities, Lek crested the hill and looked up at the remaining trail of smoke. “What kind of broke-down firebending was that?” he snickered while looking at Rangi.</p><p>She crossed her arms even tighter, never breaking the harsh glare she already had on Kyoshi. “I had a momentary collapse of discipline. It won’t happen again. Not if I ever want to firebend properly.”</p><p>Lek shrugged. “Lighten up; I was just asking. If the two of you are done collapsing, breakfast is ready.”</p><p>They both thanked him as he turned to walk back towards camp. Rangi walked over to Kyoshi and squatted down next to her. She leaned in. “If you ever disobey my instructions again, you will come to regret ever having me as your firebending Sifu.” Her voice was deeper than usual as she tried to get her point across.</p><p>“My family trains the Fire Nation’s royal family. The only person better suited than me to teach you is my mother. Trust me, you don’t want that, especially if you can’t even follow my instructions.” She stood up and held a hand out to help Kyoshi back to her feet.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Rangi.” Kyoshi only looked down at the ground. Perhaps she was too harsh but doing everything correctly with the Avatar was crucial. It was the one thing she needed to go right in order to guarantee future success in the Era of Kyoshi.</p><p>The Firebender took a deep breath. “Don’t let it happen again, rocks-for-brains. I don’t want or need you getting injured. Come on, let’s go eat.” Rangi placed her hand on Kyoshi’s back for a long second before ushering her forward back towards camp.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The Town</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: this chapter is very long.</p><p>Get ready. There's a lot of moments in this chapter. That's right... we have made it... to THE chapter. The one we have all been waiting for!</p><p>What excites me the most about getting to this point is that the story will open up to a lot more opportunities for original content involving different character interactions. Obviously Rangshi is the main focus, but I'll soon have more space to write Kyoshi and Lek, Rangi and Kirima, etc etc. Also, I am updating tags and Archive Warnings due to the nature of the novel becoming a lot more [graphic] at this point. Do know that I will never exceed the amount of graphics already shown in the books. They're already brutal enough and I want this fic to remain as relatively general audience as possible </p><p>***Please note!!!*** I try to post a new chapter of RoR every Friday or Saturday. I like to keep everything on a set rolling schedule for you all. Consistency is key! </p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p><p>tumblr: D7kyoshi<br/>(My inbox is always open to prompt requests!)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tell me, Rangi. What does your honor mean to you?” Kelsang’s voice interrupted their normally quiet meditation session. Rangi peeked one eye open and saw that both of his were still closed so she closed hers again as well.</p><p>“What do you mean, Master Kelsang?” she asked.</p><p>“When you feel the most heightened and fueled in your honor, what is it from?” His voice was soft and calm.</p><p>Rangi pondered the question. She thought deeply about the most influential moments in her life so far. “Protecting people.”</p><p>“You being a bodyguard makes sense then, huh?” </p><p>“I guess so.” Rangi responded, unsure of where Kelsang was going with the conversation.</p><p>There was a moment of silence between them before he continued. “Do you find that it is easier to understand yourself and your own problems when you help others?”</p><p>Her eyebrows furrowed. That was a question she had never thought of nor been asked until now. “I guess it helps me understand my purpose in life. There is a job or skill that we are all best suited to serve.”</p><p>Kelsang hummed a quick note. “Have you ever taken a moment to think about how protecting someone means learning and understanding their story? And how understanding someone’s situation means that you find a way to relate to them, even if you are complete opposites in the world?” </p><p>Rangi shook her head. “Not necessarily.”</p><p>“Thinking of these things will only help you grow. You are already shaping out to be a great bodyguard for the Avatar, but do not forget to continue growing your mind and spirit as well.”</p><p>A small frown turned the corners of her mouth. “In comparison to those before me, I am not much at all. Sometimes, it can feel like I am all I have.”</p><p>She opened her eyes to find Kelsang looking back at her with a soft and loving smile. “Rangi, no matter what tribulations find you in the future, know that you are never alone in the journey. You<br/>
have much more than you think.”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When they arrived back at camp, both Rangi and Kyoshi took spots near the campfire as Lek handed them some form of burnt rodent. Rangi took a large bite and angrily chewed in hopes to get the point across to Kyoshi that she was still upset with her. Kyoshi responded right back and they both set out on the challenge to see who could express their irritations more than the other. Part of her was happy that Kyoshi was even remembering to eat.</p><p>Lek stared at both of them in amazement. “I didn’t think an army princess and a servant girl from a fancy mansion would take to elephant rat.”</p><p>Rangi shrugged. “Survival training at the academy,” she said, breaking a bone with her fingers to get at the marrow. It had been a while since she had eaten so fiendishly. “We learned to accept whatever food we could find in the wild.”</p><p>“I used to eat garbage,” Kyoshi said with nonchalance, continuing as if nothing was out of the ordinary.</p><p>Rangi couldn’t help but grin at how blatant Kyoshi could be in her responses sometimes. What made the moment even better was the daofei staring at her in a mix of confusion and shock. </p><p>“I thought Jesa and Hark left you in a farming village,” Kirima questioned.</p><p>“That doesn’t mean the farmers shared food with me.” Kyoshi closed one eye in focus as her tongue worked at something caught in her teeth. “They might not have known I was the child of outlaws, but I was still an outcast there. They treated me like I was unclean. And then I had to do things like this to survive, so you know. Self-fulfilling prophecy.” </p><p>“Reasons like that are why I can’t stand law-abiding, salt-of-the-earth folk,” Wong sneered. “It’s the holier-than-thou attitude. The hypocrisy.” He wiped his hands on a leaf. “If anything, they deserve to be knocked out and robbed on a regular basis.” </p><p>Wong paused for a moment, looking at Kyoshi. “What? I practice what I preach.”</p><p>Kirima chimed in again. “You must have hated their guts.”</p><p>“The villagers? Not really.” Kyoshi paused for a moment. “Not as much as the people who left me with them.”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide as she glanced over at Kyoshi’s plainative expression. Lek threw what was left of his meal into the fire and stormed off, silent. He disappeared behind the other side of Pengpeng. It was something that Rangi could relate to. She had often found herself in Pengpeng’s stall at the end of particularly rough days back at the mansion. It was a quiet spot where only Kyoshi would bother to come find her and they would sit and talk into the night while the bison loudly snored in her sleep. </p><p>“All right, what’s his problem?” Kyoshi snapped. “Every time I state a fact or an opinion about my parents, he has a fit.”</p><p>“That’s because he idolized them,” Kirima retorted. “We picked him up in a town outside the Misty Palms Oasis. He’d just lost his brother, his last remaining family. Hark and Jesa took him in for a few days, and he proved useful on a job, so they taught him more and more of the trade until he grew into a stricter follower than the rest of us. He worshiped the ground they walked on.”</p><p>There was a feeling in Rangi’s stomach that those words of explanation only stoked the pain in Kyoshi. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Kyoshi sneered with deep sarcasm and irony. “I’ll remember to be nicer to the boy my mother and father decided to raise instead of me.”</p><p>Kirima smiled and put her two thumbs up, signaling that she genuinely cared very little about the situation between Lek and Kyoshi. “What about you?” She looked at Rangi. “What’s a sparky young noble like you doing with an Earth peasant?”</p><p>Rangi sat up, rolling back her shoulders as she straightened out her uniform. She took a deep breath. “I’m honor bound to follow and protect Kyoshi-”</p><p>“Nope!” Kirima loudly interrupted, holding up her hand to stop Rangi before her speech. “Gonna cut you off right there. The last time I listened to a Firebender talk about ‘honor’ my ears nearly rotted off my skull. Had to kick him out of my bed with both feet.”</p><p>The Firebender sat there, her mouth still agape until she crossed her arms and growled. Everyone outside of the Fire Nation seemed to think that honor and pride just flowed with the direction of the daily wind. Honor in the Earth Kingdom all depended on how the day seemed to be going. The lack of seriousness towards the matter was one of her biggest pet peeves.</p><p>She glared at Kirima as she and Wong stood up to leave without any other conversation. Wong buried the fire in the ground as Kyoshi stood up as well. “We need to talk. Last night we were interrupted before I agreed to anything.”</p><p>“Oh, come on really?” Kirima crossed her arms defensively. “After what we’ve been through, you want to take your bison and ditch us in the middle of nowhere?”</p><p>“What shared a meal,” Wong said, looking genuinely hurt. “We beat up lawmen together.”</p><p>Kyoshi took a step forward. “My demands haven’t changed. I want bending training, and the only benders around are you lot. You’ll teach me. Personally.”</p><p>“What are you lumping me in for, Earth girl?” Kirima raised an eyebrow. “You want to learn waterbending forms to relax and improve your circulation?” </p><p>Rangi continued sitting on the ground, looking up as she listened intently to the conversation. She was interested to see how Kyoshi would answer this without giving away that she was the Avatar.</p><p>“”Wisdom can be gleaned from every nation,”” she said. It was something Kelsang had told them and Yun many times. “If learning about the other elements can make me stronger, then I’ll do it.”</p><p>“That desperate for revenge, huh? Who is this powerful man who’s wronged you? You never told us his name.”</p><p>“That’s because you don’t need to know.” Kyoshi was quick to shut the question down and Rangi was thankful for that. It was likely for the best, considering most daofei had come to fear Jianzhu. Not attaching a name kept them under wraps with identities as well. “I want to learn how to run across the sky, like you did in town.” </p><p>“Dust-stepping?” Wong asked, his impassive face taking on an edge of seriousness.</p><p>“It’s our group’s signature technique,” Kirima said. “Though for me it’s ‘mist-stepping.’ And it’s not something you get for free.”</p><p>The tone of the exchange had turned darker. There was no more eye rolling and teasing at the idea of training. They were weary of Kyoshi asking for such specifics, becoming cautious and guarded. </p><p>Rangi shook her head in disbelief. “You’re acting pretty serious about a technique I cribbed after seeing it once.”</p><p>Kirima’s eyes fixated on her with a glare. “Other groups probably would have killed you for that,” she said without a hint of jest. Rangi stared right back, not intimidated by the threat. “You don’t last long in our world by letting everyone see your advantages. Secrets are how we survive.”</p><p>After a few beats of silence between them, Kirima turned her attention back to Kyoshi. “We teach you, that means you're in. For real, and for life. You’d have to swear our oaths and follow our codes. In the eyes of those who abide by the law, you’d be daofei.”</p><p>Kyoshi’s face didn’t break as she nodded. “I understand.”</p><p>In instant disbelief, Rangi jumped to her feet. “Kyoshi, think about what you’re doing!” she yelled.</p><p>“Topknot’s right, for once,” Wong gestured towards the Firebender. “You don’t take these vows lightly. It means accepting us as your brothers and sisters.” He stared at Kyoshi with a stern face and wide eyes. “Since we’ve met you’ve been looking down your nose at us. Can your honor take the hit, associating with such unclean folk?”</p><p>Rangi’s fists clenched at her side as pressure built at the end of her fingertips. If Kyoshi wasn’t the Avatar, Rangi would have scorched the girl’s eyebrows off by now. </p><p>“What are these oaths?” Kyoshi asked, stepping forward towards Kirima and farther away from Rangi.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>After Kyoshi had asked about the oaths, Rangi stormed off away from the camp and out of view before throwing a fireball into the side of a boulder. It left a large scorch mark. She then picked up a handful of rocks and pitched them at the boulder as fast as she could, releasing only a small percentage of her pent up anger. The outburst would have to be enough to get her through the day without completely losing her patience or her temper.</p><p>She stood there and took several deep breaths, regaining control of her emotions. Rangi pushed back any loose hairs and marched back towards the camp but watched from afar as Kyoshi stood by the riverbank as Wong stood behind her with a pocketknife over her head. Kirima stood in front as Kyoshi bowed with her right fist hammering into her flat left hand. It was the most ridiculous display of oaths Rangi had ever seen.</p><p>Her eyes never left Kyoshi though. She hoped Kyoshi could see just how angry and disappointed she was at the decision. In no known history had an Avatar joined the daofei. Majority of the time, there were stories on how the Avatar helped the Four Nations suppress the influence of outlaws. Kyoshi, on the other hand, decided to go the opposite path and join the criminals instead. It made Rangi scared that Kyoshi’s bending abilities would be affected negatively by the influence of interacting with the daofei. The same happened with Jesa, why wouldn’t it with Kyoshi?</p><p>Every worry about Kyoshi’s Avatarhood doubled and tripled in Rangi’s mind as she watched the swearing in ceremony take place. What was worse than that was thinking about how rapidly Kyoshi was changing. Just moments ago during training, Kyoshi talked low about the daofei. Now, she was becoming one. She was willing to throw her own personal honor and reputation away for revenge. </p><p>Once everything was concluded, she walked up to Kyoshi and took her spot just behind the girl. “That’s it? What happens now?” Kyoshi asked Kirima, exasperated.</p><p>“What happens is we leave this place on your bison,” Kirima yelled back at them without turning around. “As soon as we can.”</p><p>Kyoshi turned to Rangi and instead of scolding her, Rangi simply gave her a shrug. If Kyoshi wanted to play stupid games, then she could learn to live with the stupid prizes that she received in return. The daofei may have not been military, but just like the military, there was a pecking order and Kyoshi was obviously going to have to learn that the hard way.</p><p>As they approached camp, Kyoshi stopped near Kirima. “The deal was for lessons.”</p><p>“And you’ll get them, once we pick up a score.” Kirima said as she checked the water level in her pouch, frowning. “Even little baby vengeance seekers need food and money to survive. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re out of both. I’m not eating elephant rat for two days in a row.”</p><p>Kyoshi’s face twisted in frustration. She looked around and stepped on the blanket that Wong was reaching down to pick up. Rangi took a step back and crossed her arms, intrigued to see what happened next. </p><p>Wong sent daggers through his eyes at Kyoshi. “Keep being a brat, and I’ll never teach you how to use your fans.” The words slid through his gritted teeth.</p><p>The response made Kyoshi step back and pull out one of the fans. “You… know how to use these?”</p><p>Rangi raised her eyebrows as Wong plucked the fan from Kyoshi’s hand and began performing intricate dance moves that closely mirrored several styles of fighting forms, accompanied by deep, beautiful, and vibrant lyrics that he sang. All Rangi could think of was how much Auntie Mui would be swooning at the intricate display of performing art.</p><p>Kyoshi applauded. “Where did that come from?”</p><p>“Hark. We have a lineage through your father’s side that traces back to one of the Royal Theatre schools in Ba Sing Se,” Kirima answered. “And we stay sharp enough at performing to have plausible cover in the cities we visit. We’re the Flying Opera Company, after all.” She finished her statement with a forward-facing, no-handed cartwheel to display her talent within the group.</p><p>At least the group was agile and strong. It was only in Rangi’s hopes that those skills would translate over to Kyoshi. </p><p>Wong folded the fan and handed it back to Kyoshi. “I’ll teach you to use this, for a fifth of your shares on any future jobs we do.”</p><p>“Deal!” Kyoshi responded quickly with a smile. </p><p>Rangi smacked her hand against her forehead, as well as Kirima. Both for different reasons. “You would have gotten at least half,” Kirima flung a hand towards Wong.</p><p>Kyoshi’s now crooked smile turned sheepish and innocent as she shrugged to Rangi. The Firebender made a note to hire a bookkeeper for Kyoshi if this nightmare ever ended. </p><p>Lek poked his head around the side of Pengpeng. “Do you want to get going, or do you want to sit here rubbing each other’s backs all day?” </p><p>A large, teasing smirk formed on Kirima’s face as she pivoted to face the boy. “Hey, Lek, guess who the newest member of the gang is? Official and everything.”</p><p>The boy’s eyebrows furrowed. “You cannot be serious!” He flapped his arms at Kyoshi like an angry bird protecting its nest. “She doesn’t care about the Code! She’s abider chaff! She’s squarer than the hole in an Earth Kingdom coin!”</p><p>“And she has a bison,” Kyoshi snapped back. “So unless you like walking, I suggest you deal with me being part of your stupid outlaw family.”</p><p>The response made Rangi cringe. This was not the way to get any future teachers on your side, even if they were daofei. Kyoshi was proving quickly that she did not have an ounce of the elegance Yun did when it came to building relations and rapport.</p><p>“I am never calling you kin,” Lek spat. He went back to making final adjustments on Pengpeng’s reins as Rangi and Kyoshi examined the work he had done with saddling the bison. It was impressive seeing that everything was done perfectly. </p><p>Rangi left Kyoshi’s side and took her spot in the driver’s seat, daring Lek to challenge her for the territory. He glared at her and compensated his downgrade in the pecking order by pulling out a crude map out of his pocket, acting as if real leaders navigated and scheduled. What was unfortunate for him was that Rangi had the map of the Earth Kingdom memorized.</p><p>“We’re going to a meeting post in the mountains outside of Ba Sing Se,” he said, pointing at the map. “We’ll get the latest news from other groups and find a few easy jobs to get our feet back in the water.”</p><p>Rangi lifted off, wondering where exactly outside of Ba Sing Se he was mentioning. She didn’t know of any outposts within the mountains. Her mind raced through every map she had studied. It was nothing worth getting worked up about right now as she suppressed her need to be competitive. </p><p>“How did the two of you get a bison?” Lek spoke loudly over the wind as they climbed into the cool air. He sounded suspicious. “Neither of you were raised Air Nomad, and this girl would never let you fly her unless she’d already known you for a long time. Did you steal her from an Airbender friend?”</p><p>“Yes,” Kyoshi responded, “I did.”</p><p>Rangi turned to give Kyoshi a worried glance over her shoulder. Why would she lie about something as simple as how they obtained a sky bison? </p><p>“Separating a monk from their bison?” He questioned. “That’s cold. Though I should have expected such low behavior from someone who doesn’t respect their mother and father.”</p><p>Rangi closed her eyes and tilted her head back a little. This was beginning to become a topic that would never have a resolution. Both parties were extremely stubborn in their views of Jesa and Hark, and were determined to prove the other wrong in their opinions. </p><p>Everyone in the saddle sat in awkward silence until Kyoshi spoke up. “Wait, where’s Lao Ge?”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>“Rangi, can I ask you a serious question?” Yun’s voice interrupted the silence. They had been laying on the grass by the small turtle duck pond, admiring the cloudless night sky.</p><p>Rangi turned her head to the left. “Of course.”</p><p>Yun continued to look up at the stars, his hands behind his head. “What if they mistook me as the Avatar?”</p><p>“Why would you ever think that? Jianzhu and Kelsang found you, they confirmed you were the Avatar. Why would you doubt them?” Rangi genuinely didn’t understand where this was coming from.</p><p>The boy shrugged. “I’ve been training for a year and have yet to bend fire. Day in and day out, Hei-Ran trains me into the ground and I’ve yet to even get close.”</p><p>Rangi sat up on her elbows, still looking at her friend. “Well, I think you’re being ridiculous. You’re the Avatar. Maybe you’re just spiritually blocked? I bet Kelsang can help you with opening chakras.”</p><p>A deep sigh came from Yun. “Sometimes this doesn’t even seem real. A year ago I was living in the streets of Makapu and now I have everything. I have sages and bending masters and a mansion. There are armies ready at my command if I ever needed them. I have two great friends.” He paused. “It’s all a little overwhelming sometimes.”</p><p>“You are Avatar Yun. It was decided and announced. No one doubts your Avatarhood either. Where is this coming from all of a sudden?” </p><p>Yun sat up a little and turned to his side, propping himself up with his elbow as he rested his face in his hand. “I don’t ever expect you to understand what it’s like to come from nothing. It’s one reason why Kyoshi and I get along so well. We both have an understanding of each other, knowing what it’s like to live on the streets.”</p><p>“Wait, she talks to you about that?” Rangi felt a little with a twinge of pain, knowing now that Kyoshi spoke to Yun about some subjects she avoided with Rangi. </p><p>“Why wouldn’t she? It’s the biggest thing we have in common, quit being jealous.” Yun teased her at the end of his reply.</p><p>“I’m not jealous!” Rangi scoffed. “I just thought that we were closer friends than we really are, perhaps?”</p><p>“Don’t worry. She absolutely adores you. If anyone here should be jealous, it’s me.” He switched to a higher pitched, teasing voice. “‘Rangi is so strong. Rangi is so beautiful. Rangi is so great at Firebending. Rangi this, Rangi that.’” Yun began to chuckle as he watched the girl’s face begin to turn bright red.</p><p>Rangi could feel her ears turning bright red. “She does not say those things! Stop!”</p><p>“Oh, but she does! I wish you would just tell her how you feel already. She’s never told me anything directly but it seems as if she might reciprocate.” Yun smiled softly at her.</p><p>“I know how much you like her too though,” Rangi replied.</p><p>The boy sighed. “I do, but you love her.”</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide before they darted to the ground. “I’ve never said that.”</p><p>“No, but I can tell.” </p><p>She relaxed her elbows and fell onto her back once more. Rangi placed her hands behind her head and looked back up at the stars. As much as she hated ever admitting to it, she had become a hopeless romantic only for Kyoshi. The girl took a deep breath and sighed before changing the topic. “Well, don’t think I’m ever going to let you forget that you are the Avatar, Yun.”</p><p>Yun groaned and laughed. “You are insatiable sometimes! Let me have my doubts, it makes me feel human again.” </p><p>He reached over to punch her in the arm in jest but Rangi jerked away and began laughing as well.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>There had been multiple occasions when Rangi had flown over the Taihua Mountains with Yun, Jianzhu, and Hei-Ran. The range was known to have swallowed whole armies in the time when Ba Sing Se was being built. Blizzards became so frigid and strong that your feet would freeze to the ground and cause your ankles to snap. About once a decade, a large wind storm would collect dust from the Si Wong desert and settle within the mountains, turning the snow a formidable red. </p><p>Pengpeng sailed over the terrain, unbothered. The corner of Rangi’s mouth twitched when she remembered Yun saying that the tall mountains reminded him of Kyoshi in comparison to the rolling hills at their base. She remembered how they used to talk all the time while on missions, tucked away on the back of the saddle, carefully giggling to themselves in order to avoid a glare from Hei-Ran. If her mother ever caught her out of command, her hide would have been on the line.</p><p>They would talk about everything with each other, especially Kyoshi. Both of them wished all the time that their friend could join their adventures. It wasn’t until the last mission with Yun that she finally did, and Rangi was thankful for that. Without her ripping up the ocean floor, they would have been captured, if not worse, killed.</p><p>She missed Yun more than she wanted to admit, mostly out of fear that she would lose herself to an onslaught of tears. Even his constant teasing of her that she would never have to put up with again, it was missed. She missed him wrapping his arm through hers as they walked together, joking about how much he needed his bodyguard to keep him safe. Rangi was already beginning to remember the ridiculous pickup lines, the teasing about her liking Kyoshi, and the outrageous ‘as your Avatar’ commands. All of their more intellectual conversations about politics and philosophy and worldly traditions, they were gone. They were all moments that she had taken for granted.</p><p>Rangi looked around at the surroundings before looking over her shoulder towards the saddle. “We’re way past the last charted outposts. Beyond that, the mountains haven’t been mapped.</p><p>“Yeah, an outlaw town isn’t going to be on a map,” Kirima said. “This is the exact flight path we used to take with Jesa. Keep going.”</p><p>As they continued along their flight path, the mountains separated, gaining depth. In the middle was a small fjord with water so clear that the bottom surface could be seen. Sloping up from the water’s edge was a town, built on multiple platforms like a rice terrace. It was slightly more inhabitable than Chameleon Bay, obviously sporting more resources than their previous town location. Erosion was an obvious enemy of the geography though, with several longhouses sitting on makeshift piles for support.</p><p>“Welcome to Hujiang,” Kirima motioned towards the town below. “One of the few remaining places in the world where Followers of the Code gather freely.”</p><p>“Is everyone down there a daofei?” Kyoshi asked as she peeked over the saddle’s edge.</p><p>“Yes,” Wong responded. “Though it seems more busy than usual.”</p><p>Rangi turned Pengpeng so they could approach closer to the town with the sun behind them. Lek led her towards a cave farther away where Jesa used to hide Longyan. She landed Pengpeng there and her and Lek camouflaged the bison with fallen branches and shrubs. </p><p>They made the miserable and lengthy walk to town. Fine silt was stirred by their footsteps as they trudge along the winding, narrow path. The longtime members of the Flying Opera Company were prepared and pulled close-woven neckerchiefs over their noses and mouths while Rangi and Kyoshi suffered at the mercy of the small particles. </p><p>A glare from Rangi’s reddened eyes told Kirima she was not amused by the antics. As they rounded the mountain, they entered Hujiang from above, carefully picking their way down crudely carved steps that were oversized and jagged. </p><p>They came to one of the large streets and Rangi looked around at everyone only carrying weapons. “You should probably keep your head down this time,” Rangi said to Kyoshi. “Instead of barging in like you own the place.” The debacle in Chameleon Bay still weighed on her mind.</p><p>“No!” Kirima hissed. “You act meek in this town, and everyone will think you’re weak! Follow our lead.”</p><p>As the group merged into the foot traffic, the Waterbender seemed to grow in stature, expanding her presence. Kirima had typically walked with elegance, but now she stepped through the crowd with exaggerated purpose and delicacy. Her shoulders rolled back and she looked down her nose, daring anyone to interrupt her forward motion.</p><p>“Gotta look like you’re ready to take someone’s head off at any moment, for any reason,” Wong added. “Or else you’ll get challenged.” He took his place behind Kirima, following her with pounding footsteps. </p><p>“Topknot’s got it,” Lek said, pointing his thumb towards Rangi with an amused smile on his face. “Look at her, boiling away with Firebender rage. See if you can pull that off.”</p><p>“I’m not doing anything!” Rangi scoffed and protested. “This is my normal face.”</p><p>“You could also try to be like me!” Lao Ge exclaimed as he hunched inside his threadbare clothes, hiding any indication of muscle as he flashed a manic, gap-toothed smile. He looked like the group’s shameful grandfather who’d escaped from the attic.</p><p>“Picking a fight with you would be a disgrace.” Lek rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Exactly!”</p><p>Rangi shook her head in dismay and looked at Kyoshi, still in wonderment on how they managed to get into this deep of a mess already.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>As they walked along the streets, Rangi took in all of the different outlaws that swaggered through the town. Every single one of them walked in their own manner and was covered head to toe in a multitude of weapons, some of them a little more contemporary than others.</p><p>“Is that guy carrying a muck rake?” Rangi whispered, tilting her head at a pug-nosed man waddling by.</p><p>“That’s Moon-Seizing Zhu, and don’t stare at the rake,” Lek whispered back. “I’ve seen him puncture the skulls of two men at once with it.”</p><p>Rangi turned her attention away from the man with raised eyebrows. “Most of these people don’t seem like benders,” Kyoshi stated.</p><p>“What, are you looking to trade us in for better teachers?” Kirima asked with a smirk. “Because you’re right - they’re not benders. Most outlaws live and die by the weapons in their hands. Our crew is a rarity.”</p><p>Wong looked over at Kyoshi. “Honestly, I think you should appreciate us more.”</p><p>Rangi looked back to her side when two men bumped into each other as they rounded a corner in opposite directions. Everyone around them slowed their pace as they walked by. Both of the men profusely apologized to each other with promises to buy cups of tea and wine for each other. She found the interaction strange but was impressed at the lack of immediate violence.</p><p>“They’ll meet later on the challenge platform tonight,” Lek mentioned. “Probably during the weapons portion of the evening.” A bloody, strangled noise followed that and Rangi rolled her eyes.</p><p>“What? That wasn’t a big deal!” Kyoshi said with shock.</p><p>“You don’t understand. In this world, the only currency you have is your name and your willingness to defend it. If either of those men showed fear or poor self control, they’d never get taken on by an outfit again.” Lek spilled the facts. “They had no other options.”</p><p>“They could stop being daofei,” Rangi muttered, looking down at the boy.</p><p>“Like it’s so easy to do whatever you want!” Lek hissed, his face full of bitterness. “You think honest work rains down from the sky? This is why the two of you are the worst! No one takes up this life on purpose!”</p><p>“Lek,” Kirima warned.</p><p>The crescendo of shouting had drawn attention. Everyone watching was anticipating another addition to whatever event was happening tonight.</p><p>Lek calmed down. “Keep walking. Show them we’re together, and it’ll be fine.” Both Rangi and Kyoshi followed the boy, Kyoshi with renewed seriousness.</p><p>“There’s an expression in these parts,” Wong said in a closing argument. “When the Law gives you nothing to eat, you turn to the Code. Then at least you can feast on your pride.”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Hujiang vaguely reminded Rangi of Qinchao Village. It was a neighboring village to Yokoya where Auntie Mui would often send Kelsang and Kyoshi to pick up certain ingredients that could only be found in the markets there. Rangi would join them on occasion, depending on Yun’s training schedule. Whenever she did join, Kelsang would always treat them to a sweet candy of their choosing. They would then sit around the edge of the fountain in the middle of the square and enjoy a moment of rest together on their daylong excursion.</p><p>This place did not harbor good memories, nor was it ever likely to. Rangi looked around at the vendors sitting cross-legged on the ground, next to their piles of wares on tarps. Loud and angered sounds of haggling filled the air. There were no officers around to stop any escalations from occurring so it was safe to be more than honest with each other.</p><p>Her eyes glanced around at the tables of dried and smoked meats, beans and lentils. Rice and produce were priced the highest she had ever seen before. Vegetables and fruit were wilted and browning. </p><p>“How did this stuff travel up here?” Kyoshi asked. “For that matter, how did the people?” </p><p>“There’re unmarked passageways through the mountains. More trade secrets. The royal surveyors in Ba Sing Se don’t have a clue.” Kirima said.</p><p>This made Rangi wonder just how many more uncharted daofei outposts there were. She was aware of a full underground network, but just how far did it reach in the vast landscape of the Earth Kingdom? And how much did it overflow into the other Nations?</p><p>Wong tripped over a brass oil lamp and glared at the vendor that dared to challenge him. They quickly looked the other way, avoiding his stare. “It’s crowded,” he repeated once again. </p><p>Everyone began to look around at the crowd. “East by northeast,” Rangi nodded in the direction. “They’re listening to someone speak.”</p><p>Lek and Kirima both swore loudly. “We’ve got to get out of here,” Lek said. “Now.”</p><p>“What’s the problem?” Rangi asked, most of her view now blocked by Kyoshi’s body.</p><p>“The problem is we shouldn’t have come here,” Kirima spoke between her teeth. “We’ve got to leave town. As fast as possible.”</p><p>“Don’t make eye contact!” Lek panicked, ushering both of them away from the bazaar. They hustled back the way they came only to run into someone in the exact same spot on the corner as the earlier encounter they’d witnessed. </p><p>Rangi looked over to see Lek’s face fall in despair. He backed up a few steps and bowed sharply using the same fist-over-hand salute she had seen a few times now. So did Kirima and Wong. Rangi quickly followed suit, knowing when it was best to follow along to avoid conflict.</p><p>“Uncle Mok,” the daofei all said in chorus, keeping their heads lowered. Rangi didn’t dare to look up so long as everyone else remained looking down as well. </p><p>“Bullet Lek,” Uncle Mok said. “And friends. You made the long journey from Chameleon Bay.”</p><p>“It had been too long since we felt the embrace of our brethren,” Lek said. Rangi could hear the tremolo in his voice and visibly saw him shaking. This was a man that the usually tenacious boy feared.</p><p>“And you brought extra bodies?” Mok asked.</p><p>Rangi glanced over and saw Kyoshi just now bowing as well while using the wrong hands for the salute. </p><p>“Fresh fish,” Kirima said, only slightly looking up. “We’re still beating respect and tradition into them. Kyoshi, Rangi, this is our elder, Mok the Accountant.”</p><p>A snort of amusement came from him. “See that you do. Without our codes, we are nothing but animals, begging for fences. It’s fortuitous that you’re here, for I have business to discuss with you.”</p><p>“How lucky we are,” Wong replied. </p><p>“Let’s discuss it tonight. Why don’t you join me as my guests at the challenge platform?” The question was more of a demand. “When there’s this many people in town, blood runs high. Should be fun!”</p><p>Rangi took the opportunity to pay her fake respects. “It would be our distinguished honor, Uncle. Our gratitude for the invitation.”</p><p>“Fire Nation. It’s wonderful how respect comes so naturally to them.” His response made her cringe inside. Her growing disdain for the man grew worse when he reached out and knocked Lek’s headwrap to the ground so he could tousle the boy’s hair.</p><p>“I remember when I first met this one,” he said as he gripped Lek’s scalp, yanking and twisting his head around, making sure it hurt. “He was such a mouthy little brat. But he learned how to act.”</p><p>Anger grew inside of Rangi but she controlled it, not allowing a hint of the emotion to show. She wasn’t fond of the boy by any means but no one deserved to be manhandled that way. Mok pushed Lek aside and she glanced up to see him staring directly at Kyoshi. “I hope you’re an equally quick study,” he threatened her softly, clicking his teeth together. It took every ounce of willpower Rangi had to not grab Mok by the throat and strangle him to his last breath. </p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>No one spoke after the encounter. They waited for Lek to pick his head wrap off the ground and smooth his hair. His eyes were red but everyone knew it was better to not acknowledge why. Rangi looked at Kyoshi, whose mind looked to be racing and piecing together exactly what happened. </p><p>Rangi was all too familiar with this kind of hierarchy. The Fire Nation was more thought out and the levels of society and families made more sense, but every Nation, town, and community had a standard pecking order. While the Flying Opera Company was privileged by being a rare commodity of benders, they still had to obey the ranks above them. Everyone had to answer to someone. </p><p>They made their way through town, Rangi standing exceptionally close to Kyoshi, despite wanting to suckerpunch the girl in the arm out of anger and spite. The group paid for a single room and proceeded up the stairs. Inside the room was nothing other than a few beds and oil lamps. </p><p>“This is one of the tighter-built houses,” Kirima said after she shut the door and slumped against a wall. “It’ll be safe to talk as long as you don’t shout.”</p><p>Wong opened the window and did a full sweep of the street below before craning his head upward to check the roof. He pulled himself back inside and latched the shutters closed. “I suppose you want an explanation.”</p><p>Kirima started, “Those hard times we mentioned back in Chameleon Bay. They were pretty hard. After your parents died, Jesa’s bison escaped, and we never saw him again.”</p><p>Rangi scratched her head as she leaned against one of the solid wooden bed posts. It would have made sense if Longyan ran away to likely rejoin a wild herd, as did most sky bison after losing their Air Nomad. She was thankful that Pengpeng had not done the same yet. Perhaps the Spirits were giving them a blessing straight from Kelsang himself.</p><p>“We were trapped in the wrong city with too many debts to the wrong people,” Kirima continued. “We were desperate. So we accepted the Autumn Bloom Society as our elders in exchange for some favors and cash.”</p><p>“The peach flower guys,” Wong filled in.</p><p>Rangi nodded in understanding at the lapel markers she had been seeing. “I take it the group is now beholden to the Autumn Bloom?”</p><p>“It seemed like a safe move at the time.” Kirima sighed. “After the Yellow Necks scattered, there were so many smaller societies grubbing for the scraps. Mok and the Autumn Bloom started off as nothing special. But then they began to squeeze the other outfits.”</p><p>“And by squeeze we mean crush them to a pulp and suck on the bloodstains,” Wong shook his head in disbelief.</p><p>“They were barely concerned with turning a profit,” the Waterbender shook her head at the greatest outrage of all. “The law hasn’t caught wind of them yet because they’ve yet to make any big plays aboveground.”</p><p>“Well, I can guarantee you that’s about to change,” Rangi crossed her arms. “What we saw in the bazaar was a campaign muster. A recruitment drive. Mok has big plans ahead.”</p><p>“And we’re signed up now.” Kirima glanced over at Rangi. “If we disobey a summons by our sworn elders, our name will be worth less than mud. We’ll be worse off than before we met the Autumn Bloom.”</p><p>“Plus he’ll, you know, kill us,” Wong said.</p><p>Rangi’s eyes darted to Kyoshi and she caught the jade colored eyes staring back. Burning her eyebrows off was truly starting to sound like a punishment that met the crime. She could easily defeat Mok and anyone he sent their way, but having to explain to the Fire Nation Army and her mother why she had daofei assassins hunting her down did not sound appealing.</p><p>Lek thumped the back of his head against the wall. “Mok owns us now. Our independence was Jesa and Hark’s pride. And we threw it away. Because of me.”</p><p>“Lek,” Kirima said sharply. “You were injured and would have died without treatment. We’ve been over this.”</p><p>The boy looked over at Rangi and Kyoshi. “Stung by a buzzard wasp.” He laughed with bitterness. “Can you believe it? Like I was fated to be this group’s downfall.”</p><p>“Jesa and Hark would have made the same decision in a heartbeat,” Kirima said.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Rangi closed her eyes and controlled her breathing as she felt Kyoshi’s anger building from across the room. She knew exactly what the girl was thinking. Why were her parents so ready, willing, and able to save one child but not their own? </p><p>“Oh, boo-hoo,” Kyoshi snapped. “How pathetic of you.”</p><p>They all turned their heads toward her. Kyoshi stared straight ahead at an empty point on the wall. “So your choices had consequences. That’s not the definition of a raw deal. That’s life. You made your bed with Mok’s, and I made mine with yours. I should be the one complaining.”</p><p>Rangi stared at Kyoshi, her eyes getting wider as the girl gradually began to raise her voice. </p><p>“If he wants us to show up tonight, then we show up tonight. We do whatever he wants us to do. And then we all can get what we came here for.” She was only one or two words away from shouting. A long silence between them followed.</p><p>“Kyoshi’s got a point,” Kirima interjected. She leaned forward. “We have no choice but to take things one step at a time.”</p><p>“She didn’t have to be so mean,” Wong muttered.</p><p> </p><p>***********</p><p> </p><p>Rangi looked up at the ceiling. “I need a moment with Kyoshi, alone.” Everyone groaned and filed out, the room opening up with just the two of them staring at each other.</p><p>“Don’t yell at me,” Kyoshi said preemptively. “None of this Autumn Bloom nonsense was in the journal.”</p><p>“And yet here we are anyway,” Rangi quipped. She looked around the room and pointed around. The words that came from her next needed to be well thought. This was no longer about the events that were happening, but with how Kyoshi was spiraling. “Do you know what it’s like, watching you sink deeper into this muck?”</p><p>“I’m doing what’s necessary,” Kyoshi replied. “If you want me to make faster progress, then let’s go find an isolated spot and practice more firebending.”</p><p>She didn’t get it. “Kyoshi, you’re not listening to me.” Rangi lowered her voice and leaned closer. “You’re the Avatar.”</p><p>“I remember, Rangi.”</p><p>“Do you?” She asked, one of her eyebrows raised. “Do you really? Because the last time I checked, the Avatar is supposed to be shaping the world for the good of humans and spirits, not risking their neck to help a bunch of second-story thieves pay off their debts!”</p><p>Rangi’s fists tightened and she held back from punching a hole straight into the nearest wall. “Did you know that the Avatar is supposed to be able to commune with their past lives, gaining access to the wisdom of centuries? </p><p>“With the right lessons, you could have been asking Yangchen herself for guidance right now. But no! You don’t have that option, because my guess is that spiritual teachers are a little hard to come by in our current social circle!”</p><p>Rangi’s arms gestured towards the door and all the way to the Taihua Mountains. She ran her hands down her face first before taking a step closer to Kyoshi. “To see you here? It kills me. The fact that you’re stuck here, where no one knows who you truly are, makes me die a little inside with each passing moment. You’re meant to have the best of everything and instead you have this.”</p><p>She rubbed the creases in her forehead with her fingers and groaned with frustration. “A daofei town! A normal Avatar would have been responsible for wiping this encampment off the face of the earth!”</p><p>Her heart began to pound as red hot energy moved through her veins. The air around her was beginning to heat up from the expression of her emotion. She hid her face in her hands. </p><p>“Rangi.” Kyoshi’s voice sounded heavy and cold. “The world waited years for an Avatar. It can wait a little longer. And so can you.”</p><p>The Firebender released a small exhale and cut off her emotions, the heat emanating from her ceasing. If Kyoshi wanted to play cold, then Rangi could do exactly the same but better. She lowered her arms and showed just how calm and stony she could be as well.</p><p>“You’re right,” Rangi said flatly. “After all, I’m just your bodyguard. I have to do what you say.”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Rangi left the room, telling Kyoshi that she needed to be alone for a moment. Just downstairs, Kirima sat at a table in the corner of the inn’s small tavern. The Firebender stormed over to the table and slammed her hand down on the wooden surface. “You, me, outside, now.”</p><p>“Flameo, Hotwoman. Want to try that approach again?” Kirima spoke over the rim of her cup while raising her eyebrows.</p><p>Her fingers tapped on the tabletop as she took a deep breath. “I need to speak with you outside, please.” Rangi managed through gritted teeth. </p><p>“Very well.” Kirima stood up and they walked outside, moving away from the buildings until they were standing on a gently sloping hillside and out of general earshot of anyone around. The daofei woman crossed her arms. “What can I do for you?”</p><p>It was already hard to believe what was happening but Rangi had already seriously contemplated the words she was about to say. “Give me the daofei oaths.”</p><p>Kirima nearly choked. “I’m sorry, did I just hear you-”</p><p>“Give me the daofei oaths. Like you did with Kyoshi. If she is in, then I am in.” Rangi rolled her shoulders back, challenging the woman to go against what she wanted.</p><p>There was a moment of shocked silence as Kirima stared at her but it was soon filled with laughter. The woman crossed her arms over her stomach and bent in half. </p><p>“This is no laughing matter!” Rangi exclaimed.</p><p>Kirima wiped the tears from one of her eyes. “I’m sorry, Topknot. But, I can’t let you take the oaths. I love that grit and determination though!” She continued to have residual chuckles from the request.</p><p>“I’m serious.” Rangi lowered her stare and took a step closer, her hands on her hips. “I want to take the oaths.”</p><p>After realizing that she was serious and wasn’t letting up on the request, Kirima straightened up and took a step closer as well. She looked Rangi right in the eyes. “You’re not a daofei and you will never be a daofei. Here is the main reason: you are a military brat. You’ve already taken an oath and it just so happened to be under the law. Tell me, if you took the daofei oaths, would you be willing to leave the Fire Nation Army?”</p><p>The question made Rangi pause and that was enough of an answer already. “Exactly. I can already tell the main reason you want to do this is because you want to make sure you are with your charge every step of the way, but I’m going to tell you now that you are not daofei and you will never be daofei because you already have Fire Nation propaganda shoved so far down your throat that you can’t see anymore.”</p><p>“How dare you!” Rangi was face-to-face with Kirima now, her fist raised to her waist. But the woman in front of her didn’t even flinch at the approach. </p><p>Instead, she grinned. “Go ahead, see what happens.” An exhale poured through Rangi’s nostrils and she backed up. Kirima contemplated her thoughts and looked down at the ground before turning her attention back to Rangi. “I’ll tell you what, I’m not going to allow you to take the oaths because I know you will severely regret it afterwards. But, I will make you a sworn honorary member of the Flying Opera Company if-” she paused, “-you can do something that impresses me and proves to me that you are capable of handling daofei traditions.”</p><p>Rangi rolled her eyes but agreed. “Fine. Deal.” She held her hand out, still in disbelief of herself that this was happening. </p><p>Kirima took her hand and they shook on the agreement. When Rangi tried to pull her hand away, Kirima held onto it tightly. “Be honest, is this because you’re honor bound to her or because she’s your lover?”</p><p>“I-” Rangi’s face went warm in embarrassment. “She’s not my lover. What would make you think that?”</p><p>A large grin slowly formed on Kirima’s face. “Because you look at her the same way Hark looked at Jesa. And I have never seen a couple more in love than them.”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>The streets were emptier than during the day. Rangi waited outside the inn for the group as she took in the sights and sounds of nightlife. All of the daofei had gathered into the drinkhouses, which seemed to be nearly every other building. Laughter and arguments, drunken poetry and sounds of crashing objects filled the air. It all felt right considering the current location.</p><p>Kyoshi and the daofei walked out the door and down the crooked wooden steps. Rangi silently took her spot on the right side of Kyoshi, staying just a step behind. They walked through the town until they came to a barn that shook with noise. Eruptions of loud cheers or curses came with whatever action was happening inside. Another man wearing a peach flower in his hat greeted them at the door.</p><p>“Uncle Mok is waiting for you on the balcony,” he said as he bowed. </p><p>When they stepped inside, they were immediately absorbed into a sea of spectators. In the center of the large room was a large wooden platform covered with a tightly drawn canvas held down by ropes. Two men circled each other warily on top, moving through stances, refusing to blink as sweat gathered on their faces.</p><p>Lei tai. A combat tournament for non-benders. It was something she had learned about before. Rangi was entertained as she watched the two men fight bare-knuckled and empty-handed. Oddly enough, she felt adrenaline rising within her as the progression of the fight peaked her interest. It made her miss combat training in the junior corps. </p><p>The two men charged at each other. Fists cracked against skulls. One of them got the better of the exchange and followed up with a devastating kick to the side of his opponent. Rangi’s fists clenched and her teeth barred in excitement. “Liver shot. It’s over.”</p><p>The opponent tried his best to stay in the fight but the impact from the hit caught up to his body. He slowly teetered and walked in an arc before falling onto the platform, clutching at his side and torso. The victor quickly grappled the downed man and began to viciously punch him in the head, relentless in his onslaught of attacks. She looked over at Kyoshi to find that the girl was looking away, her face turning pale in disgust.</p><p>“Here’s a lesson for you square folk,” Wong said to both her and Kyoshi. “It’s over when the winner says it’s over.”</p><p>Rangi’s face stayed pressed as she watched blood splatter and drip onto the platform. The face of the fallen man was barely recognizable when the victor stood up, leaving him barely on the cusp of life. The crowd booed loudly, wanting the champion to completely slaughter his now helpless victim on the ground. She continued to watch as two volunteers carried away the vanquished man by the arms and legs. He coughed, more blood spraying from his mouth. </p><p>“Where’s Mok?” Kyoshi asked. She sounded anxious to get away from the violence. </p><p>“There.” Kirima pointed to the second level.</p><p>Rangi inconspicuously waited for the group to walk away before turning towards the entrance of the platform. This was her opportunity to prove a few things to everyone. Mok would give more approval towards the Flying Opera Company. Kirima would learn that Rangi could keep up with the daofei. Kyoshi would finally get a taste of her own medicine, hopefully learning what it was like for Rangi to watch her jump into a never ending pitfall.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>She was standing on the fighting platform, staring diagonally across at her opponent. Rangi met his gaze as she stripped off her bracers and shoulder pieces, throwing them carelessly onto the ground. The crowd around her howled and whistled with interest. She rolled her eyes and ignored them as she disrobed to her sleeveless white tunic underneath her outer layers. </p><p>Rangi rolled her shoulders and bent her neck side to side to loosen up from wearing the weight of her armor all day. She flexed her arm and back muscles as she bounced on her toes a little, looking down at the canvas. The bloodstains from the previous fight had been haphazardly wiped at. This was significantly different from the traditions of an Agni Kai but it was going to take the same amount of concentration. The man she was fighting outweighed her significantly and was significantly taller.</p><p>The champion ran his hand down his braided hair and squinted at her with dark, beady eyes. He was unsure of what to make of his new challenger. As he rose from the stool he was sitting on, his attendant removed it from the platform. He raised his chin. “Only hand-to-hand, no firebending. Understand?”</p><p>“Yeah, no problem.” Rangi nodded in agreement as they approached each other.</p><p>She settled her rapidly beating heart with a few deep breaths. She had her reasons and a plan but she needed to remain calm in order for it all to work in her favor. To quickly teach him a lesson on positive jing and to get the fight going, Rangi happily took the first move. </p><p>With precision, she whirled a kick at the knee he was about to put weight on. He snatched his leg back before she could get full impact and stumbled awkwardly around on the platform. The crowd gasped, obviously never seeing the victor so quickly offset. If the hit would have landed in full force, she would have won already. This was going to be too easy. </p><p>He righted himself and finally took a deep stance. A corner of Rangi’s mouth twitched in amusement as wrath coursed through his face. She was a person of virtue and she genuinely preferred to see the good of the world. Her vision was filled with hope for a better future. But, when that emotion was stripped away and it was time to fight, every instinct she had as a soldier took over.</p><p>She laughed to herself as she slid forward fearlessly, nearly begging for him to begin attacking her. Rangi remained cool and impassive as the champion finally took the bait. He launched a flurry of blows. She ducked and side-stepped every attempt. Rangi examined the speed of his attacks as she pivoted and moved along the canvas.</p><p>A punch was coming at the left side of her face. This was going to be the opening. She turned towards the right at the last second so his hand and arm became parallel with the back of her shoulders. As he retracted, she slammed her right shoulder into his armpit, timing it with the retraction of his throw. He went flying backwards, forcing him towards the edge of the platform.</p><p>She watched as he barely managed to catch himself. Rangi followed him nonchalantly, unconcerned about pushing him over. It would have been easy enough and she would have won the fight fair and square. But, then none of her points would have been proven. It wasn’t dangerous enough yet. Now was the moment she had been waiting for. She had aggravated the champion so much that he was likely now on the verge of wanting to finish her off like his victim before.</p><p>Instead of focusing on her opponent, she looked directly up at the second floor. Rangi’s eyes locked with Kyoshi’s. If she wasn’t going to understand through words how much she had been putting Rangi through, then perhaps actions would help prove the point. Rangi could see the fear and pain that sat deep in Kyoshi’s eyes. </p><p>And it was the last thing she saw before a large mass of force hit her jaw and mouth. She heard the sound of Kyoshi’s screams and cries over the crowd just before her world went black.</p><p>In what felt like only a second later, Rangi’s eyes snapped open and she found herself laying on the ground, her vision twisting and turning. She looked up to see the man standing above her with his foot raised above her skull. Her adrenaline kicked back in just in time for her to find momentum so she could spin up on her shoulders, wrapping her legs and arms around the man’s standing leg. With a simple twist, she shattered the limb in several places. Rangi released her opponent from the leg lock and slowly stood up as he fell to the ground. He writhed in pain and cried as Rangi stood over him, wiping the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. A bitter metallic-like taste covered her tongue and gums. </p><p>The once rambunctious crowd was silent with mouths agape. Rangi turned and walked across the canvas, the sounds of her footsteps echoing off the platform like drum beats while her opponent wailed out in pain. She hopped down and gathered her armor.</p><p>A single applaud filled the room. She glanced up to see Mok clapping furiously. Everyone followed and the whole barn erupted in roaring cheers. They whooped and hollered for their new champion, surging toward her. Rangi glared at the people approaching her and it was enough to keep them from slapping her on the back or lifting her into the air in celebration. They still crowded around her though, keeping a small distance and following her as she made her way towards the ladder.</p><p>She climbed up with one hand, her gear bundled under the other arm. A pounding headache was beginning to form just behind her eyes and a throbbing pain ran through her jaw and mouth. As she made it to the top of the loft, she tossed her armor into the corner and immediately bowed.</p><p>No one responded. They all stared at her, waiting for her next move, including Mok and the street preacher they saw earlier.</p><p>Rangi shrugged. “It seemed like fun,” she said calmly, looking solidly at Kyoshi.</p><p>Mok slapped his thighs and burst into laughter. “A future boss in the making! Dine with me tonight. I’ll tell you the plans I have in store.”</p><p>“How could we refuse, Uncle?” Rangi said with the biggest and sweetest smile she could muster. Her eyes looked back at Kyoshi after Mok turned around. The jade eyes looking back at her were filled with both rage and concern. Rangi walked towards Kyoshi and purposefully brushed her shoulder against Kyoshi’s upper arm, signaling that she was willing to go further to prove her point. She then looked down at the wooden floorboards and wondered why there were drips of blood leading towards Lek. </p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>It was in an amusing effort that Mok tried to show how much influence he had in the daofei community. The feast before them was an attempt to mimic a wealthy sage’s table, with more than one course. There were plates of already rotting vegetables and a flour paste that substituted an actual pastry item. There was plenty of wine that Rangi helped herself to, hoping to take the edge off of the growing pain from her victory wound. </p><p>She sipped on the bitter, overripe wine and passively watched the events downstairs. Her eyes watched as two men slung their weapons at one another like amateurs. Eventually, one man finally got the upper hand and sent his sword through the throat of the other. Gurgling sounds could be heard just before the crowd cheered. Rangi looked over at Kyoshi, who was focusing deeply at a knot in the wooden table top. She was clearly uncomfortable with the violence. </p><p>“Have any of you heard of Te Sihung?” Mok asked, dropping the display of puffery and dominance. It seemed that her fight may have brought a little more trust and confidence to the meeting as intended.</p><p>Kyoshi contemplated the question then spoke up. “Governor in the Eastern Provinces. Likes to read and drink tea. Certainly isn’t hurting for money.”</p><p>“Very good,” Mok said, impressed. It had impressed Rangi as well. She must have learned a lot about certain individuals during her gifts duties and while serving during their visits. “Te’s a little unique among prefectural leaders. He’s not so quick with the axe when it comes to sentencing crimes.” He made a hacking motion to the back of his own neck. </p><p>Mok and Rangi both took a sip of wine. Rangi watched as Kyoshi refilled Mok’s cup without being told from old habits. A twinge of anger filled her as she watched the Avatar fill the cup of a daofei leader. It was a solemn reminder of her duties and their road ahead.</p><p>“He keeps prisoners alive,” he went on. “His family inherited an old mansion dating back to the Thirty-Somethingth Earth King, complete with a courthouse and a jail where criminals could serve out their sentences instead of facing swift modern justice. I believe the romantic notion of mercy went to his head.”</p><p>“Sounds nice of him,” Rangi said with blithe unconcern. She could feel the side of her face and part of her lip beginning to swell as her words slurred slightly. The other members of their company had willingly retreated into the background, letting her and Kyoshi do the talking. They were playing the tiles they’d been dealt.</p><p>“Don’t go putting up statues just yet,” Mok held up his pointer finger. “He’s had one of our own locked up for eight years.”</p><p>The street preacher that Rangi had learned was named Wai, changed in disposition. He vibrated with rage. “We need to get our man out of Te’s cells. That’s what this job is about.” Mok leaned forward. “A jailbreak on a fortified position is going to take a lot of bodies, more than the Autumn Bloom has sworn members. So we’re calling in our associates. Every favor will be repaid in one night.”</p><p>“This prisoner - is he important?” Rangi asked. “Does he have information you don’t want leaking?”</p><p>Mok looked at her with displeasure. He squinted his eyes. “This mission is about brotherhood,” he hissed. “First and foremost. My sworn brother has been rotting in the hands of the law for almost a decade. It’s taken that long for the Autumn Bloom to grow strong enough to attempt a rescue mission, but Wai and I have never forgotten him.” He spoke with passion and inspiration.</p><p>Rangi bowed her head in an attempt to regain some lost ground. “Apologies, Uncle. I thought knowing the facts would be helpful to our cause.”</p><p>“The only facts I need you concentrating on concern how your group is going to help spring my man out of Governor Te’s prison,” Mok said, slamming an open hand onto the table. </p><p>“Our group?” Kyoshi tilted her head preemptively in apology for not understanding. “It sounded like we were to band together with the Autumn Bloom in this mission.”</p><p>Rangi’s stomach turned and she couldn’t tell if it was the sour wine settling or a bad intuitive feeling. Perhaps both. </p><p>“Originally, yes. But after giving it some thought, that would be a waste of an elite team of benders such as yourselves. A two-pronged assault should double our chances. I have numbers at my disposal but not stealth or bending prowess. While my men beat down the doors in a frontal assault, I want the Flying Opera Company to take the quiet route. Whoever succeeds first, it doesn’t matter to me.”</p><p>Rangi wanted to laugh at how unthought out the plan was but she maintained her professionalism. “Are there plans to Te’s palace? Layouts? Staff schedules? Any inside people we can count on?”</p><p>Mok’s face darkened. He kicked the table away, sending dishes clattering to the floor. Rangi continued to stare at him, waiting for answers despite the table in front of her now missing. “Figure out your approach on your own!” He screamed in her face. </p><p>She blinked and nodded. It was far from the first time she had someone yell in her face given her military training. What she pieced together though is that she managed to expose his weakness as a tactician. He was nothing of an actual leader and only served as a figurehead that made demands and doled out cruelties when they weren’t met. The only reason he had control was because he forced people to submit to him through fear.</p><p>He stood up and straightened out his robes. “I plan on being at Governor Te’s palace thirty days from now with my forces. I know how swift the Flying Opera Company tends to be, so if you arrive early, you should have all the time you need to prepare yourselves. But! I don’t want you acting on your own before we arrive. Do you hear me?”</p><p>“Of course, Uncle,” Kyoshi said solemnly as she bowed. Rangi looked down at her spilled drink, wishing she could drown out just a moment more of their current reality. </p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>The five of them stood outside their inn, not knowing what to say to each other. Rangi’s eyes were heavy in exhaustion. The swelling on her face had stopped a while back during dinner with Mok but now the pain was throbbing. She could feel it behind her eyes and into her neck.</p><p>Her mind wandered to anywhere but there. Images of her clan’s island filled her thoughts. She imagined the beach that her parents used to take her to when she was a small child. Her father would always help her build sandcastles and moats to the ocean. The memory she hoped to bring her a dash of happiness only managed to dampen the mood further. </p><p>Rangi blinked to find Kirima looking at her. “I have to take care of his hand. I’m not the best healer, so it’ll be awhile before I can get to your face.”</p><p>“I don’t need it,” Rangi snapped. She turned and walked away down the slope the town was built on, towards the lake. </p><p>“Rangi!” Kyoshi yelled after her. She kept walking. “Get back here! Rangi!” She continued still. Rangi was obligated to listen to the Avatar, but she was not obligated to listen to Kyoshi.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>In frustration, Rangi slammed her armor onto the ground while screaming. She sat down in the soft dirt and sand mix and yanked off her shoes before letting her toes dangle in the water. Her knees were pulled in close to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs. With tears building in her eyes, she rested her forehead on her knees. </p><p>She didn’t know where to begin with the variety of emotions coursing through her.</p><p>“You want to tell me what that was about?” Kyoshi yelled behind her.</p><p>Rangi looked up and sneered at the question. “Mok was treating us like dung, and now, slightly less so. I impressed a daofei. Hasn’t that been our goal?”</p><p>Kyoshi was now standing over her. “My mother’s gang belonged to my mother! Mok is a rabid animal whom we have no leverage with! It was a stupid risk!”</p><p>Red hot rage now filled Rangi and she jumped to her feet, standing ankle-deep in the water. “Of course it was!” she screamed back. She nearly rammed her finger into Kyoshi’s chest out of instinct but caught herself. Rangi tilted her head and cursed several times as she wrung her hands out before forcing them to her side. “I did exactly what you’ve been doing this whole time!”</p><p>“Let me tell you something,” Rangi deepened her voice as she looked upwards. “I blacked out when I got hit. If I hadn’t woken up quickly, that man would have killed me.” </p><p>Kyoshi’s face became filled with fury. Maybe she was finally beginning to understand the trials that she had been dragging Rangi through.</p><p>“You know what you felt, watching me lie on the canvas?” Rangi continued. “That helplessness? That sensation of your anchor being cut loose? That’s what I’ve been feeling, watching you, every single minute since we left Yokoya! I got on that platform so you could see it from my perspective! I had no idea what else would get through to you!”</p><p>She sliced at the surface of the lake with her foot, sending water between them. Her eyes were glossed over with tears. “I watch you throw yourself headlong into danger, over and over again, and for what? Some misguided attempt to bring Jianzhu ‘to justice’? Do you know what that even means anymore?”</p><p>“It means he’s gone for good,” Kyoshi snapped. “No longer walking this earth. That’s what it has to mean.” </p><p>“Why?” Rangi struggled to understand. She looked up at Kyoshi, pleading for honesty. “Why do you need this so badly?”</p><p>“Because then I don’t have to be afraid of him, anymore!” Kyoshi screamed louder than Rangi had ever heard before. “I’m scared, all right? I’m scared of him, and I don’t know what else will make it go away!”</p><p>The words carried over the surface of the lake to any man and spirit who might be listening. Rangi’s heart shattered over the admittance and she closed her eyes. Kyoshi wanted vengeance out of fear. She was scared and Rangi had now failed her as both a friend and a bodyguard. Kyoshi had been scrambling, searching for the endgame to all of this mess. </p><p>Tears now fell from Rangi’s eyes as she began to cry. She tried to choke it back but all she could manage were short, sharp little breaths.</p><p>“Talk to me,” Kyoshi whispered, her voice strained as she held back her own tears. “Please.”</p><p>“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” Rangi looked down. She tried to smother herself with the palm of her hand. “It shouldn’t have gone this way.”</p><p>There was a long pause before Kyoshi answered. “I know. Yun would have been a much better-”</p><p>“No! Forget Yun, for once! Forget being the Avatar!” Rangi lost all control of herself and smacked Kyoshi hard across her collar. She was tired of the girl thinking that she was now just a worldly sacrifice and not a human being. “It’s not supposed to be this way for you!”</p><p>Kyoshi had gone silent, her eyes closed as she winced from the hit.</p><p>“You think you don’t deserve peace and happiness and good things, but you do!” Rangi yelled, her voice beginning to become hoarse. “You, Kyoshi! Not the Avatar, but you!”</p><p>Rangi reached out and wrapped her arms around Kyoshi’s waist. She pressed the side of her face deep into Kyoshi’s chest and took a deep breath.</p><p>“Do you have any idea how painful it’s been for me to follow you on this journey where you’re so determined to punish yourself?” She asked. “Watching you treat yourself like an empty vessel for revenge, when I’ve known you since you were a servant girl who couldn’t bend a pebble?” Rangi swallowed back the need to cry. “The Avatar can be reborn. But you can’t, Kyoshi. I don’t want to give you up to the next generation. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”</p><p>Kyoshi stood very still for a moment before wrapping her arms around Rangi. The Firebender sighed, feeling comforted being held by Kyoshi. She had waited for this embrace. They stood there in silence for several long minutes, never leaving each other’s strongholds. Rangi never wanted to let her go. </p><p>“I wish I could give you your due,” Rangi muttered after some time had passed. “The wisest teachers. Armies to defend you. A palace to live in.”</p><p>Kyoshi raised an eyebrow. “The Avatar gets a palace?”</p><p>The question made a quick smirk appear on Rangi’s face. “No, but you deserve one.”</p><p>“I don’t need it,” Kyoshi replied, as she smiled into Rangi’s hair. It was a sensation Rangi had never expected to enjoy as much as she did. “And I don’t need an army. I have you.”</p><p>Rangi scoffed. “A lot of good I’ve been so far. If I were better at my job you would never feel scared. Only loved. Adored by all.”</p><p>She tried to look away but Kyoshi gently nudged Rangi’s chin upward. Rangi’s heart began to pound loudly in her chest as she looked up to find Kyoshi staring back at her with the softest, gentlest look Rangi had ever seen. </p><p>“I do feel loved,” she declared softly. Kyoshi leaned in and kissed her. </p><p>Rangi’s head spun and she could have sworn her heart stopped at the feeling of their lips together. Sparks ignited in her veins as she closed her eyes, admiring the moment just before pain filled the once blissful moment.</p><p>She pushed Kyoshi away and put a hand to her face. The pain resonated through one half of her face as she gritted through the discomfort. After it subsided, Rangi looked over to see Kyoshi pouting in defeat. She thought Rangi had pushed her away due to unwanted contact.</p><p>Rangi smiled and laughed, immediately choking on her own tears and mirth. She managed to take a few deep breaths and retook Kyoshi by the hips while turning to the side, offering up the smooth, unblemished skin of her throat.</p><p>“That side of my face is busted up, stupid,” she whispered. “Kiss me where I’m not hurt.”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>This was something Rangi had dreamed of since fully realizing her feelings for Kyoshi. She had felt the warmth of Kyoshi’s embrace many times before. There were times previous where Kyoshi had grabbed or held her hand out of comfort, whether for herself or for Rangi’s sake. And the past nights together since leaving Yokoya made them inseparable, clinging to each other as if they were all that was left in their world. </p><p>And though her lips and cheek hurt from her wound, having had Kyoshi’s lips pressed gently against her own ignited every signal in her body. It made her heart race and her blood pulse feverishly. </p><p>When Kyoshi leaned down and kissed her, it felt as if the earth moved below her feet and she wondered if that was what it felt like to be an Earthbender. And as Kyoshi moved down her neck, she could feel her lips curling into a smile as she planted gentle kisses against Rangi’s soft skin. Rangi couldn’t help but sigh a breath of relief, happy to finally have the affection she had been wanting.</p><p>Rangi‘s mind kept replaying through that moment as she laid on her side, propped on her elbow. She smiled as her fingers gently ran through Kyoshi’s soft brown hair. Kyoshi smiled back at her, it was a look she hadn’t seen in days. It was different than before though. It was softer and sweeter and immensely filled with tenderness and comfort.</p><p>“You’re so beautiful.” Rangi whispered, almost choking on her words, still in disbelief of this moment. She hoped it wasn’t some cruel dream.</p><p>“I’m beautiful?” Kyoshi smiled with a slight grimace. “You’re absolutely gorgeous. Have you ever seen how the sons of the governors look at you?”</p><p>Rangi rested her hand on Kyoshi’s chest, her fingers tracing along fabric. “I’ve never cared to know nor will I ever.” She moved a little closer and pressed her body against Kyoshi’s while resting her head on the girl’s shoulder. Kyoshi wrapped an arm around Rangi then she moved Rangi’s hand from her chest and entwined their fingers.</p><p>They laid peacefully together, Rangi fighting off her need for sleep.  </p><p>“I’ve always thought that, you know. Since the moment I first saw you, I couldn’t stop thinking about how beautiful you were. Your tan skin, those little freckles that cover your cheeks and nose and shoulders and arms...” she trailed off in wandering thoughts for a moment before focusing again. “You’ve always made me feel this tingling and tightness in my stomach.” Her fingers gently squeezed Kyoshi’s.</p><p>There was nothing but quiet and she began to panic that she had said too much. Rangi glanced upwards to find that Kyoshi had dozed off. She smiled. It was about time the girl finally slept in peace, or let alone slept.</p><p>She nuzzled her face further into Kyoshi's shoulder and exhaled in contentment. It felt like the start of a new beginning. There was a new clarity in her life, and while the pain of their current situation still hung on her shoulders, it felt more bearable. Because now whenever she looked at Kyoshi, she would think of how their lips felt together and how Kyoshi’s embrace made her feel comforted. They were now together in every corner of their lives.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. The Beast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Back to normal chapter lengths for a bit, folks!</p><p>BIG SHOUTOUT to tumblr user shadow-of-kyoshi for being a wonderful beta reader. Thank you for your awesomeness!</p><p>I don’t have too much news to share other than that I’ve been really productive with writing so that’s good. Eventually, I’d like to get to producing more one shots. My brain has felt a little void of prompts here lately. Any ideas?? Send them my way either here or on tumblr!</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy! </p><p> </p><p>Tumblr: D7kyoshi<br/>Inbox and asks are always open for prompts and whatever, really.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rangi startled awake from her head slamming against the ground. She groaned as she looked around, only vaguely ready to fend off whatever woke Kyoshi. With much reluctance, she moved the leg she had thrown over Kyoshi’s body as she looked up to see Kirima squated next to them. She squeezed the back of her neck as she yawned.</p><p>“Must have been nice,” Kirima said, smiling widely as she barely contained her amusement. “Sleeping under the stars. Just two friends. Having a close, private moment of friendship.”</p><p>Rangi rubbed her face with her hands and winced as she accidentally put too much pressure on her injury. It seemed most of the swelling had gone down but her cheek and jaw felt bruised now. She looked over at Kyoshi and wondered what her response was going to be. There was no blame to be held if she denied everything. The Earth Kingdom was not necessarily the friendliest when it came to relationships like theirs. In fact, it was one of the many things she missed about the Fire Nation.</p><p>A concern now filled her. What if Kyoshi wasn’t ready for what they unearthed last night? Now that their intimate moment was gone, what if they didn’t share the same beating heart for each other? What if Kyoshi was simply appeasing her last night? Rangi looked down at the ground, overcome with growing panic.</p><p>She looked up to catch Kyoshi’s gaze and all of the fear washed away. It was clear in Kyoshi’s eyes that they were in this together now as more than just friends. The thoughts that were just racing through her mind seemed whimsical now. Rangi smiled and nodded slightly. She was more than ready if Kyoshi was.</p><p>Kyoshi looked back at Kirima. “It’s exactly what it looks like. You have a problem?” The confidence and solidity of the response made the hair on the back of Rangi’s neck stand up. She had never seen or heard Kyoshi so sure about something. Her smile grew a little bigger.</p><p>There was a moment of silence between all of them as Kirima shrugged and waved her fingers in seriousness. “I’m not the type to give you grief over whom you love.” A devious and playful grin returned to her face. “I am, however, going to give you tremendous amounts of grief about romancing within your own brotherhood. That’s like doing laundry in the outhouse. It never ends clean.”</p><p>Kyoshi stood up. “First off, we knew each other before we met you. Second, my parents founded this stupid gang, and they were obviously a pair!”</p><p>Rangi exhaled in relief as Kyoshi didn’t think twice about Kirima’s slip up. She didn’t need to know their conversation before heading to the lei tai the night previous. In honesty to herself, after how the night ended, she had nearly forgotten what her and Kirima had come to an agreement over.</p><p>“Good to see you’re carrying on the family tradition,” Kirima remarked. “Jesa and Hark were mad about each other.”</p><p>That was enough to obviously ruin the once peaceful morning, especially for Kyoshi. Rangi stood up and begrudgingly put her armor back on. Putting it back on meant going back to the reality of her duties.</p><p>One day eventually, they would get to spend time together, relaxed in each other’s arms all day. She dreamt of taking Kyoshi to her family’s small beach house on Ember Island and even the island her clan came from. The future would have to wait but Rangi would do anything to ensure it happened.</p><p>Once her armor was fully on, they trudged uphill back toward the town. Rangi noticed Kyoshi was still in her head about her parents so she reached out and grabbed Kyoshi’s hand before running her nails down Kyoshi’s soft and smooth palm. A smile grew on Rangi’s face as she witnessed her beautiful love blush and nearly stumble from the teasing and playful distraction.</p><p>Rangi’s heart pounded with joy. She wanted to take a hold of Kyoshi and never let go again, and she wanted to forever feel Kyoshi’s embrace at the same time. Her heart was finally allowed to be free and open with the love she had held in for so long.</p><p>As they strolled along, her gaze never left Kyoshi except when she saw Fire Nation rugs hanging from the doors of a few longhouses. It made her feel a sudden drop in her stomach and she was reminded of her mother, who had been left back in Yokoya. A wave of guilt filled her. Her mother didn’t know where she had gone with the Avatar and was likely worried. Rangi had missed their routine and conversations over the past few days.</p><p>When they arrived at a particular longhouse, Kirima went inside and Rangi turned to look around the street. She bit at her bottom lip as she thought about her mother more. Surely the woman was fine but she had to be worrying. Her eyes moved up and down the row of buildings and noticed just how many sleeping bodies were strewn across the ground, trying their best to recover from a night of drunken debauchery or brawling.</p><p>“We’ve had enough of the town.” Kirima said loud enough to interject Rangi’s thoughts. She turned to find the woman grinning at her and Kyoshi. “Or at least I have.” Rangi rolled her eyes, only to amuse Kirima more. Wong now stood behind Kirima, rubbing his eyes and looking still half asleep.</p><p>A large crashing noise near the bazaar cut into their exchange and disrupted the morning’s stillness. It sounded like a house might have collapsed. Birds rose into the sky, fluttering in distress.</p><p>Rangi frowned and furrowed her brow as she leaned her ear towards the disturbance. “Was that a landslide?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Kirima said cautiously. “But the birds have the right idea.”</p><p>Screams and shouts of terror now filled the air, the sound carrying over the rooflines. “Never wait to find out what the trouble is,” Wong shouted, already jogging away from them and the source. “By then, you’re already too close.”</p><p>Rangi blinked and nodded once in agreement. He made a valid point. She pushed Kyoshi into a brisk jog back towards the inn so they could collect Lao Ge and Lek before heading back to Pengpeng. They would have to be quick considering how speedily the crashing behind them was catching up. The closer the source got, the louder a snorting, choking sound filled the air.</p><p>Two men ran screaming out of a longhouse, right on their heels. The front of the building exploded, planks and beams torn to shreds and flying in every direction. Rangi placed one arm behind her head to protect herself as she moved behind Kyoshi to stay between her and the shrapnel. The group all looked to their side to see a large, wiry mass lash out with it’s tongue at the fleeing men. They fell to the ground, stunned and skidding on their faces to a halt.</p><p>“Tui’s gills!” Kirima shouted. “What is that thing?!”</p><p>Kyoshi slowed down to a halt and Rangi had to jump out of the way before running right through her. She took a few stumbling steps forward before running into Kirima, who caught her while they both kept proceeding forward. Rangi looked over her shoulder to see Kyoshi standing, frozen. “Wait! Kyoshi’s not with us!” She shouted.</p><p>Wong and Kirima stopped with her. Kyoshi slowly backed away, looking as if she was struggling to even move in the first place. Wong widened his stance as he moved his hands upwards from waist level, shooting a large wall between the beast and Kyoshi.</p><p>“What are you doing?” Wong roared. “Either fight or run! Don’t stand there where we can’t help you!”</p><p>Rangi took a step back, ready for a fight. The monster clambered over the wall, its claws allowing it to climb as fast as it ran. Kirima pulled more water from a nearby trough and smashed it at the beast’s shoulders, trying to knock it off-balance. Rangi looked at the feet of the attacking animal and noticed that they were padded, fleshy skin.</p><p>The Firebender put her weight on her forward foot and spun, kicking a low sheet of flame where it was trying to stand. She continued kicking waves of flame at the ground while Kirima slammed water against the beast’s shoulder, giving Kyoshi enough time to move away and more into the open street. Her eyes were wide as she collected herself. Rangi grinned as Kyoshi planted her feet firmly on the ground, finally seeming to remember that she could join the fight.</p><p>A large fissure opened in the ground and one of the animal’s paws fell in. The animal didn’t react in avoidance but instead dove headfirst into the ground. Rangi’s jaw nearly hit the floor as Kirima took the words right from her mouth. “This thing can burrow?!” She looked over at Rangi and both of them gave each other looks of aggrievance, feeling cheated from any success they may have once had.</p><p>There were vibrations below them and Kyoshi began to slowly step closer to everyone. “Spread out,” Rangi said, eyeing the ground. The movement was directionless, making it near impossible to tell where the animal had gone.</p><p>“Shouldn’t we stay close?” Kyoshi asked, now nervously stepping away.</p><p>“No,” Rangi looked at her. “Then it’ll get more than one of us in a single bite.” She wished the words that just came from her were a cruel joke.</p><p>Kirima and Wong both stepped upwards onto the roof of the inn. Rangi would have joined them in a heartbeat but she had to stay and protect Kyoshi this time. Leaving her on the ground by herself did not prove well back in Chameleon Bay and this instance was even more dire.</p><p>Everything went silent. There was no more movement underground. Rangi could hear the pounding of her heart in her ears as she caught Kyoshi’s stare. Within less than a week with Kyoshi and she had already done more of her job as a bodyguard than in her entire two years by Yun’s side. Rangi didn’t mind the thrill but this was not how she ever imagined it.</p><p>The ground beneath Kyoshi’s feet began to loosen, slowly caving in. Rangi sprinted forward and tackled Kyoshi out of the center of the formation, boosting herself sideways with flame jets from her feet. They landed hard on their sides, sliding across the ground from the momentum. Rangi clinged to Kyoshi tightly as the creature burst through the surface below, rearing toward the sky, it’s shadow blacking out the sun above.</p><p>There was a zipping sound, and then a thud. The animal screamed, and its claws came down short of her and Kyoshi’s bodies. Rangi’s breathing hitched as her and Kyoshi looked at each other with wide eyes, both of them acknowledging their sheer luck.</p><p>Another impact that caused the animal pain happened, and they both looked up to see Lek’s silhouette on the roof of the inn. “Move, maybe?” he shouted.</p><p>Rangi scrambled to her feet and collected Kyoshi to her feet as well, grabbing at her arm as they fled towards Lek. The boy sent a hail storm of stones towards the animal, each missile landing on the one spot the animal seemed to feel pain. It thrashed about, screeching and growling as it tried to escape. Soon, several arrows began to strike at its hindquarters. It whipped around to face the new threat of the daofei that began to surround the beast with weapons.</p><p>They didn’t care to be involved. Rangi put her head down and hustled towards the hill with the rest of the group, never letting go of Kyoshi.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>They arrived at Pengpeng’s cave in the mountainside winded, their legs and lungs burning, to find Lao Ge feeding the bison a pile of cabbages. Rangi stared at him in aggravation but soon realized that he had been one less person they had to worry about while in town and at least he was feeding Pengpeng.</p><p>“A lot of help you were!” Lek shouted.</p><p>Lao Ge shrugged and gave a pitying look to the boy. “Fighting a shirshu? That’s just a bad investment of effort. I left as soon as I felt it coming.”</p><p>Kirima swallowed back another gasp of air, as she was bent over with her hands on her knees. “You knew what that abomination was?”</p><p>“It’s a legendary subterranean beast that hunts by scent,” he explained dismissively, as if they all should have known exactly what the thing attacking them was. “Supposedly it can track its quarry across stone, water, dirt, thin air. In the old days, Earth Kings would use them to execute their political enemies. <em>For the traitor, let them be hounded by shirshu until they drop where they stand, far from their homes and the bones of their ancestors</em>.”</p><p>The old man fed Pengpeng another cabbage. She happily accepted and munched away. “Or at least that’s how the saying went. Shirshu haven’t been seen in the wild for at least a generation, so I assume this one was being used to hunt a fugitive too. Same as in the days of yore.”</p><p>Rangi glanced over the group. Lek’s gaze was boring into Kyoshi. “It was going for you. I could see it from the roof of the inn. It was sniffing out your scent. You brought it here.”</p><p>Before Kyoshi could say anything to explain herself, the sounds of clanking blades rattling in their scabbards and stomping feet could be heard. They all leaned over the cave ledge to see a party of swordsmen down below. At the back of the group was Brother Wai. They all leaned away from the edge and shuttled their way towards Pengpeng.</p><p>“I can explain,” Kyoshi said quickly. “But maybe once we’re in the air?”</p><p>There was a silent and unanimous agreement as they scrambled onto Pengpeng. Rangi climbed into the driver’s seat and silently took the reins in hand. “Come on, girl. Yip! Yip!” As they rose into the air, Rangi looked over her shoulder to find Kyoshi staring at her with deep concern. They exchanged a look, both of them acknowledging that Kyoshi’s Avatarhood could no longer stay a secret.</p><p> </p><p>***********</p><p> </p><p>The political intrigue was nearly becoming unbearable. It was a game that Hei-Ran opted out of since coming to the mansion in order to avoid situations like what her and Jianzhu were currently in. There was not much of a choice though, considering this all involved the Avatar.</p><p>Jianzhu was scrambling to figure out how to maintain his grip on Avatar Kyoshi all while trying to navigate the eventual backlash he would receive when everyone found out that Yun was not only dead, but obviously not the Avatar in the first place. Him and Kelsang were so sure that they had found the right person that they didn’t even see the true Avatar right under their own noses. Though Hei-Ran knew deep down that Kelsang was likely hardly to blame and Jianzhu had become more and more desperate over the years leading up to Yun’s discovery.</p><p>Their travels to the Beifong Manor went just the way she had expected. Awful. Chamberlain Hui had been his typical conniving self, playing his tiles close to his chest while pulling out as much information and reaction as he could. All that just so he could continue swimming upstream in his world of gossip versus truth.</p><p>Hei-Ran could have choked Jianzhu when he lied frivolously to Hui though, telling Lu Beifong’s closest advisor that Kelsang and Yun had run away on a spiritual journey after him and Yun got into a fight over Yun’s bending progress. The man then told Hui that they would all have to deal with Yun’s absence while he was on his nomadic journey of self-discovery. Every part of the made up story angered Hei-Ran. It had made them too vulnerable to Lu Beifong and Chamberlain Hui.</p><p>Every moment of their visit to the Beifong Manor just made the web of lies and paths too much. She was beginning to question if Jianzhu truly had a plan and if she could trust him at the end of it all. Every attempt to correct what happened was becoming frantic and desperate for any scratch of progress in finding the Avatar. Even when close to them, men like Jianzhu were always unpredictable, especially when they began slipping from their own self-preservation.</p><p>The guilt of Yun sat heavily on Hei-Ran’s shoulders. She had pushed him harder than any student before him, even harder than Rangi. Her daughter never had to be pushed but often reined back in from overtraining. Yun had taken a beating from Hei-Ran though as she pushed him through one strenuous training after another. The boy may have not been the Avatar, but he was still her student. Hindsight showed that he was beginning to show signs of mental fatigue, and yet, she had been too self-involved to notice, trying to force a flame that would never show.</p><p>Attending the party at the Beifong Manor had done nothing but aggravate her already heightened anger and sadness. Hei-Ran had spent most of the party standing in a corner while men thought it was fine to prod her about remarriage. They all started off with sympathy about her late husband, thinking it was a subtle and polite way to start a conversation. If they were brave enough to make it past that, they would then move on to flattery. Oftentimes, it was about how beautiful and soft her skin was or about how they loved a Firebender with bronze eyes.</p><p>While it was an annoyance, nothing was worse than when they then laid their target on Rangi. Men would ask when Hei-Ran was going to allow her daughter to marry and if her daughter was looking for someone to court her. They would offer up their sons in hopes to get any closer to her clan’s wealth and connections. None of them deserved her daughter anyways.</p><p>In her mind, Hei-Ran would still grin about the cruel irony. She knew Rangi was never going to marry a man, let alone get courted by one. Though the girl had yet to give any admittance to it, the mother knew her daughter’s preferences of attraction. Plus, Hei-Ran had a strong assumption that Rangi had fallen deeply for Kyoshi as well.</p><p>It had been mostly confirmed on the way back from the skirmish with Tagaka’s fleet, when Rangi was fussing over Kyoshi more than Yun. The mother had caught glimpses of Rangi brushing the hair from the other girl’s face and saw the look in Rangi’s eyes when she gazed upon Kyoshi. The softness was all very similar to Junsik.</p><p>Without realizing where her walk around the mansion had taken her, Hei-Ran found herself standing in front of Rangi’s quarters. She stared at the door and knew that no one was going to be on the other side. Slowly and with a sigh, she stepped into Rangi’s room and quietly shut the door behind her.</p><p>The room felt abandoned, even after only a week of her daughter missing. Everything was tidy in its place, though that was easy when any trinkets were sparse. All books and manuscripts were neatly put in their places on the bookshelves. Hei-Ran looked towards a side of the room that looked like a small armory. There were two stands holding bows, quivers full of arrows, staffs, swords, and other weapons that Rangi had learned to use over the years.</p><p>If no one knew who lived in the room, they could definitely guess a militant occupied it just by walking inside.</p><p>Hei-Ran continued into the quarters and walked into the small bedroom attached to the common area and stood in the doorway. Her eyes danced around the room. There was a mannequin next to a wardrobe with Rangi’s ceremonial armor and robes.</p><p>She took a few steps towards it and slid her fingers across the small medals attached to the left side of the lapel on the robes. It surprised the woman at how many awards and honors her daughter had already received. The girl was already so successful and would soon surpass her mother with ease.</p><p>There wasn’t a single thing about Rangi that didn’t make Hei-Ran proud. Rangi’s heart was kind, yet it pulsed with such intensity. The girl really was a mix of both her parents. Thoughts of when Rangi used to run rampant around the house while firebending out of control popped into Hei-Ran’s mind. She smiled and chuckled to herself. Her daughter had always been a wild child when growing up. And while she became more regimented from the Academy and Junior Corps, she never lost the temper or natural talent with firebending.</p><p>Or the running around for that matter. The woman had often seen her daughter racing across the compound at various times and it wasn’t until Yun told her during training one day that she understood why. That was the moment she had begun to suspect Rangi’s feelings for Kyoshi. Ultimately, she was never going to broach the topic and would simply wait for Rangi to come to her when ready.</p><p>There were countless times where Hei-Ran thought Rangi was going to be permanently angry with her but her daughter always came back. She admired that about her daughter. Rangi loved so deeply and was more loyal than anyone Hei-Ran had ever known.</p><p>Tears began to well up in the woman’s eyes as she thought of her daughter. She sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands, sniffling in hopes to hold back the emotion. All she wanted was Rangi to come back home. Her daughter was all she truly had left and she couldn’t bear to lose another member of the little family she had made. Losing Junsik was hard enough but losing Rangi would destroy her.</p><p>It all felt pitiful to her given her clan’s hardy military background. Rangi getting put in danger was an inherent risk to her duty. Not knowing where she went made all the difference though. Hei-Ran wasn’t prepared for how fragile she would feel in a situation like this. A wave of guilt and devastation overcame her as she remembered their last moment together was them fighting. She wiped away several tears with the sleeves of her robes.</p><p>Hei-Ran looked up to see a small ancestral altar sitting in the far corner of Rangi’s bedroom. On it was a small calligraphy portrait that her father had drawn when she was a child and an incense holder. A wooden tablet with Junsik’s name and date of death sat next to it.</p><p>The woman stood up, approaching the small and plain altar solemnly as she wiped her face once more. A cushion was placed on the floor in front and she kneeled down, sitting on her heels. She plucked an incense stick from a jar and produced a small flame from her pointer finger. As a tiny plume of smoke came from the stick, Hei-Ran slowly moved the incense through the air overhead before gently placing it in the holder to let it burn out.</p><p>She bowed before sitting up and staring down at her lap. It had been too long since she sat in front of an ancestral altar, likely because of how long she had been away from the Fire Nation. Obviously that was not an excuse for Rangi though. Hei-Ran tried to swallow back her emotions.</p><p>“Junsik, I’m sorry I have nothing to offer you and that I haven’t honored you in such a long time. I promise that I have not forgotten about you after all these years without you. And I’m sorry that I’m just now coming to you in a time of frustration and sadness and fear.</p><p>“You were always better at handling moments of emotion like this. You knew what to say and when to say it and you were Rangi’s idol when she was so little. It’s a blessing that she has your soul or else I’d be scared of her becoming too much like me without your direct influence on her. Sometimes I feel as if I am too hard on her. What if she no longer views me as her mother but simply another drill sergeant? Have I spent too much time shaping her as a soldier?</p><p>“You were such a natural father. From her first breath, you handled the roll so well and you were so supportive of me when I had to leave for an extended amount of time with the Army. I remember coming home once to these bright pink and orange flower crowns that you and Rangi had made just for my return.” Hei-Ran let herself smile from the memory. “You looked so dashing with yours on.”</p><p>The smile faded as reality returned. “I ask for your guidance, my love. Please protect Rangi and Avatar Kyoshi, and guide them back home safely. And please, I ask for your patience and continued love from wherever your spirit may be. You were such a joy in our lives. I have not forgotten my commitment to you, and I vow to never forget. Thank you.”</p><p>She bowed once more before standing up to leave. It felt cathartic and reassuring to speak to Junsik. Her mind felt clear again. The woman was ready for her daughter to come back home, safe and sound. But, Rangi was a brave and elite soldier, and Hei-Ran knew she would keep herself and the Avatar protected.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The Avatar’s Masters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This update... holy cow. I am happy to be getting it off my plate! There’s not much to say other than thank you for your continued support! </p><p>Shout out and thank you to my beta reader, shadow-of-kyoshi!</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p><p> </p><p>Tumblr: D7kyoshi</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A sigh of relief fell from Rangi’s lips as they passed Ba Sing Se, soaring silently over the plains of the Impenetrable City. It was reassuring to see a familiar sight given what they had just experienced. One thing that would have comforted Rangi more was if she could have marched up to the Earth King and asked for help. With any of the others in tow though, she would never make it past the lower ring. </p><p>Rangi stood up and tied the end of the reins to the saddle horn. They were flying in one direction for a while so Pengpeng would not need her guidance at the moment. She vaulted over the saddle’s edge and sat cross legged next to Kyoshi. Everyone was looking at Kyoshi like she had forsaken their oh-so-sacred daofei oaths.</p><p>“All right, spill it,” Kirima snapped. “Who is this man you’re feuding with? You said he was a rich and powerful sage. Which one, exactly? Tell us the truth!”</p><p>Kyoshi looked at the saddle floor, obviously not wanting to face the conversation they were about to have. “... Jianzhu,” she barely managed to get out. “Jianzhu, the companion of Kuruk.”</p><p>“The Architect?” Lao Ge asked. “You aim high, my dear. I’m impressed.”</p><p>Rangi leaned back against the saddle wall and decided to stay out of what would likely become a growing argument. If needed, she was prepared to protect Kyoshi. Otherwise, she was done helping her hide vital details and was feeling a little smug anyways as the daofei yelled at her. </p><p>“Jianzhu the Gravedigger!?” Lek couldn’t believe it. “You picked a fight with the Gravedigger!?”</p><p>“I didn’t pick the fight!” Kyoshi protested. “I wasn’t lying when I said he killed two people I loved!”</p><p>Kirima’s eyes widened as she tilted her head. “Oh no, we believe that!” she shouted. “We can believe that plenty! That man has a higher body count than septapox!”</p><p>“And you ticked him off so badly that he sent a beast out of myth to track you all the way into the Taihua Mountains,” Wong sighed. “We might as well jump off Pengpeng right now and save ourselves the trouble.”</p><p>Lek stood up and gestured both of his arms at Kyoshi. “Thanks a lot, you numbskull! We had a chance of surviving Mok, but if the Butcher of Zhulu Pass wants you feeding the worms, then it’s only a matter of time before he puts you and us below ground!”</p><p>It was impressive to see just how much outlaws feared Jianzhu. Rangi didn’t find comfort in the knowledge though. Jianzhu had been willing enough to send a tracking beast that very well could have killed them all. Her trust in the man was fading very quickly while her trust in the people before her was unexpectedly rising. They had stayed behind and saved both her and Kyoshi, when they could have simply ran back to the mountains and stolen Pengpeng instead.</p><p>She looked over at Kyoshi, whose eyes were closed as the daofei continued their meltdown, berating her for putting them into harm's way. Kyoshi took a deep breath before calmly interrupting their yelling. “He’s not trying to kill me. He doesn’t want me dead.”</p><p>“Well, that would be new for him!” Kirima reeled. “How are you so privy to his inner thoughts and goals?”</p><p>“Because.” She took an even deeper breath to steady herself. “I’m the Avatar.”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Rangi’s heart was skipping beats. It was the first time Kyoshi truly acknowledged she was the Avatar. Those three words made Rangi sit up with a renowned sense of pride and duty. Kyoshi was the Avatar and it was Rangi’s duty to stand by her. She glanced around as everyone else sat in stunned silence until…</p><p>“Ha!” Lek screamed in amusement. “Ha!”</p><p>The boy fell backwards onto the saddle floor and rolled around with his hands on his stomach, as if what was just said was one of the greatest jokes he had ever heard. Lek sat up and pointed at Kyoshi. “You, the Avatar? Man, I have heard some whoppers, but that might be the best yet!”</p><p>Kirima narrowed her eyes. “I know I let you gloss over a bunch of the oaths, but at least five of them are about never lying to your sworn family.”</p><p>That was enough to make Rangi step in. “She is the Avatar! Why do you think she has a Fire Nation bodyguard?”</p><p>“Dunno,” Wong said with a shrug. He pointed his thumb at Kirima. “Why do you think we’ve got her?”</p><p>Kirima glared at Wong before continuing. “Look, you can believe in your weird little two-person cult all you want,” she glanced back over to Kyoshi. “Just tell us what you stole from the Gravedigger. You wouldn’t be the first servant who bungled a theft and had to flee from their angry boss.”</p><p>Rangi crossed her arms and glared at Kirima. The Waterbender gave the look right back to her.</p><p>“Do you even bend all four elements? Do you?” Wong asked, now amused at her claim.</p><p>“I firebent once,” Kyoshi stumbled over the words and shook her head. “Under duress. It, uh, came out of my mouth. Like dragon’s breath.”</p><p>Rangi’s head now snapped towards Kyoshi. She had not told her about that and instantly Rangi wondered if it was when she was escaping Jianzhu at the mines. That was yet another piece of information that she would have liked to know and it was obvious that another talk between them was coming.</p><p>“Yeah, I once got food poisoning from dodgy fire flakes too,” Lek continued, still chuckling as he wiped tears from his eyes. “Doesn’t mean I’m the reincarnation of Yangchen.”</p><p>“Well, I believe her,” Lao Ge said with a proud, upturned chin. Rangi was appreciative of his endorsement until she saw the looks from the others, realizing it had the opposite effect needed.</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Kirima said in a softer voice now. “Everyone calm down. Take a breather. Let’s consider this rationally for a minute. Assuming she is the - KYOSHI, THINK FAST!”</p><p>She’d uncorked her water skin with a slight of hand. A pellet of liquid flew at Kyoshi’s face.</p><p>Rangi flinched as Kyoshi squealed in terror over the large droplet of water. Her hand flew out from near her belt, holding one of the fans like a dagger. They all watched the liquid slow down and hover over the fan’s end as Kyoshi covered her face with her arms.</p><p>All five of them stared in disbelief. </p><p>“Spirits above,” Lek whispered.</p><p>“Kyoshi,” Rangi whispered, breathless and thrilled. “Kyoshi!” </p><p>She leaned forward in excitement and looked over at Kirima. “Is that you?” The Waterbender sat there, stunned in silence, shaking her head. Rangi dove at Kyoshi, tackling her to the saddle floor. She squeezed as hard as she could, overwhelmed with excitement. “You did it! You bent another element!” </p><p>Rangi inconspicuously planted a few soft kisses on Kyoshi’s neck. She wished she could stand on solid ground and punch bursts of fire into the air in joy. Kyoshi was the Avatar and it was the first time Rangi had finally seen the Avatar truly bend another element. She had been waiting years for this moment, but a realization hit her that dampened the excitement. </p><p>Kyoshi had yet to bend fire correctly, let alone a puff of air, meaning the order of elemental progress was now incorrect. It sent a wave of horror through her veins. Rangi didn’t want to take away from the moment and continued to hug Kyoshi as she now hoped to the Spirits that the Avatarhood was not thrown out of alignment.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>“We need a moment to confer,” Kirima said as the original members of the Flying Opera Company backed away.</p><p>Rangi and Kyoshi shared uncertain glances with each other while the daofei huddled on the far side of the marble cube they landed on in the quarry. Murmuring and whispering could be heard and occasionally one of them would poke their head up and give Kyoshi a hard, assessing stare before returning to the debate. Rangi stood next to Kyoshi, her hands behind her back, strategizing how she could manage fighting the group of them if the moment escalated. </p><p>“If they turn on us,” Rangi whispered sideways through a forced smile, “I want you to take Pengpeng and run. I’ll buy you time to escape.”</p><p>Kyoshi straightened her back as the daofei suddenly ended their discussion and filed back over to them. It felt just like when they met back at the tea house in Chameleon Bay. They stood there, Kirima and Wong on either side of Lek. The boy stepped forward.</p><p>“It’s been our honor to have traveled with the Avatar. We regret that we have to part ways.” They bowed in unison after Lek spoke. There was no daofei salute, but a formalness with their arms and hands by their sides.</p><p>“Huh?” Kyoshi tilted her head.</p><p>Kirima’s shoulders sank a little. “It doesn’t have to be right now, if that's not your wishes. I suppose you might want the night to plan your next move and leave us in the morning.”</p><p>This all felt strange. Rangi had not expected this response and neither had Kyoshi as she repeated her previous response. They seemed as confused as Rangi and Kyoshi. </p><p>“You’re the Avatar,” Wong began to explain. “You can’t stay with people like us. It’d be an offense to the spirits or something.”</p><p>“Not to mention too dangerous,” Lek added. “We’re still obligated to join the attack on Governor Te’s. If we bail, Mok would find us eventually. When he does, well… being killed by shirshu would be kinder.”</p><p>Kirima nodded. “You’ll be safer the farther away you are from us.”</p><p>Rangi couldn’t agree more and was glad to find that daofei wanted to protect Kyoshi. They didn’t want to take advantage of her status in the world. “Kyoshi, they have a point.” She finally said after they stood in a moment of Kyoshi’s silent thought. “If you fall deeper into Mok’s clutches, it will taint you forever.”</p><p>This only made her more silent. The four of them stood there as Kyoshi thought deeply about what would happen next. Rangi wished she could know and understand whatever was processing at the moment. With a glance over to the daofei, she noticed that they looked different. Their cloak of daring and confidence was gone. They had been stripped down to humbleness in front of the living bridge between mankind and spirits. </p><p>Just when it was all starting to become unbearable, Kyoshi finally spoke. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying. And if I can help with the Autumn Bloom, I will. I haven’t gotten my end of the bargain yet.”</p><p>Rangi had tried to remain collected through the whole process but Kyoshi’s response spiked her nerves. She looked repeatedly from Kyoshi to the now perked up group of daofei. Staying with the daofei meant continuing to ignore her duties as the Avatar. It meant associating with criminals. The whole notion was unclean. The Avatar was supposed to be a champion of justice and rid the world of rebels and outlaws, not become one. </p><p>“Kyoshi,” Rangi started slowly. “Think about this to its end. The Avatar can’t be seen attacking the residence of an Earth Kingdom official.”</p><p>“As far as the abiders are concerned, I’m not the Avatar yet,” Kyoshi said with a shrug. “I took the oaths of this group. I won’t abandon my sworn brothers and sisters.”</p><p>The daofei looked touched. Rangi, on the other hand, was now cast between two stones. She severely questioned Kyoshi’s judgement, but was proud that personal honor had finally been brought into play.</p><p>“You are not ready for anything resembling a real fight,” Rangi turned to Kyoshi and put her hands on her hips. “Currently, you are this group’s biggest weakness. You’re too valuable to lose, and you don’t have the skills to defend yourself.” The blunt, honest words made Kyoshi look down towards her feet.</p><p>“That’s a little harsh,” Lek commented. Rangi snapped her head towards him and glared.</p><p>“Hairpin’s right,” Kirima said to Kyoshi. “Currently. We have until the next full moon to link up with Mok’s forces for the assault. We can finally give you the training you were hoping for. That’s what we promised you, wasn’t it?”</p><p>Rangi couldn’t believe what she just heard. Finally, she lost it. “It takes years for the Avatar to master all four elements! And that’s with world-class teachers! I don’t get the impression that any of you have a bending lineage to speak of.”</p><p>Kirima grinned. “No, but I’ve always wanted to start one. I’m not going to pass up the chance to go down in history as the Avatar’s waterbending master.”</p><p>The nonchalance of Kirima’s reply sent Rangi into a conniption fit. Her family was an unbroken line of bending teachers considered the finest in the Fire Nation. They’d tutored members of the royal family. They’d been involved with the training of several past Avatars. And now, before her stood three daofei, assuming they had what it took to train the single most important person in the world. The Avatar would be forced to bow to outlaws as her trainers.</p><p>Rangi’s lips twitched in anger and as she looked upon the daofei. She could see their amusement at her complete loss of words. “Lighten up,” Lek smiled. “We’d be teaching Kyoshi to survive, not turning her into Yangchen. Consider the raid on Te’s a practical exam.” </p><p>His words of reassurance didn’t help. </p><p>“Speaking of Yangchen, we’re out of luck for airbending anyways,” Kirima added. “Either the two of you accept a few improvisations, or Kyoshi remains the way she is. Weak. Defenseless. A helpless, pitiable babe in the woods who can’t-”</p><p>Kyoshi reached a hand out and pulled a massive cube of stone out of the far side of the canyon they were in. It reminded Rangi of what she saw during Tagaka’s attack, but on a smaller scale. Kyoshi lacked precision but her strength truly did amaze Rangi. She watched as the stone went crashing down the cliff face and shattered as it hit the floor of the canyon. Fractured pieces went tumbling away from the spot of impact.</p><p>Despite the noise, Kirima didn’t give the landslide a single glance. She stared at Kyoshi, impassive, unimpressed. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. You need more than one trick in your bag.”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Rangi sat next to Kyoshi during their dinner but didn’t speak a single word. It stayed that way for the whole night as she listened to the gang chattering excitedly to themselves about how the Avatar had volunteered to stay by their side. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on something else. </p><p>As they finished up the camp chores, Rangi made her way towards a different stone cutout to get far away from the camp but she was followed. “Kyoshi, I really don’t want to talk to you right now.”</p><p>“Rangi, please.” Kyoshi’s voice pleaded softly.</p><p>The Firebender stopped and turned on her heel. They were mostly out of ear shot from the others. “Remember last night? When I told you about how much it pains me to see you throwing yourself headlong into these situations? Well, I meant what I said!” Rangi’s fists balled up in front of her, wishing there was something for them to land on. “And here we are, once more. We had the opportunity to get out and find a better path and still, here we are with the daofei!”</p><p>Kyoshi looked down at Rangi, trying to find the right words. “I know. And I know it’s not the ideal training. And I don’t enjoy dragging you down with me and causing you anguish, but I don’t think either of us can promise to stop taking risks, not now at least.”</p><p>“Then when, Kyoshi?” Rangi shook her head. “I don’t know what to do when you never want to listen to my advice or my concerns.”</p><p>“Rangi, your advice and concerns have their place, but you have to understand that I had to make this decision.” Kyoshi now looked her in the eyes. “You know I need to learn bending and I can’t go to these world-class teachers you talk about.”</p><p>She appreciated Kyoshi’s honesty but it didn’t make it all hurt any less. “I know. I just wish I would have been protecting you more four years ago. Maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess right now,” she said before biting at the inside of her cheek. </p><p>Rangi carried a lot of blame on her shoulders, wondering how she could have missed the signs. They both stood there, silent and unsure of how to proceed. “I need to go meditate, alone. Goodnight, Kyoshi.” Without another word or glance, she turned and left to go reflect.</p><p>Rangi shook her head as she walked away, mumbling to herself about how ridiculous this was becoming. She used what she now deemed jet-stepping to reach the top of another sliced out section of the quarry. The top looked out at the valley lit in moonlight. Shadows hung off of the various outcrops. If looked at closely, the sparkling of the white marble could be seen. </p><p>She sat down at the very edge of the land and stared at the vast emptiness before her. The depth and width of the quarry made her feel small. It was impressive to think about how rock was taken from here by Earthbenders and used in the homes of those rich enough to afford the material. The upper ring and palace of Ba Sing Se was filled to the brim with the highly coveted stone. Lu Beifong’s palace also housed the material, but Rangi could really only remember the wretchedness of the brown walls, a once sought after color in homes when the family first became prominent.</p><p>The overly eccentric tendencies of the Earth Kingdom made Rangi appreciate her family. They were of noble blood but the Sei’naka clan was small and humbled in their wealth. There had never been a concern for money, though in comparison to the other clans, her family had to work the hardest for their influence within the Fire Nation.</p><p>Rangi closed her eyes and reflected on the past few years with Yun and Kyoshi. She had never expected to become such close friends with either of them. Regardless of who was the Avatar, she loved them both with all her heart. And while she had friends and colleagues in the military, none of them knew as much about her as Yun and Kyoshi. </p><p>Her thoughts wandered through their times together. There was a time when Yun thought it would be funny to rub black ink over the handle of Auntie Mui’s favorite cast iron teapot. Rangi had stood in the doorway, groaning to herself at the stupidity of the prank. The kitchen staff all bit their tongues to keep from laughing as Yun purposely antagonized the woman to rile her up.</p><p>No one had told Kyoshi what Yun did and Rangi could remember clear as day the look on the girl’s face as a black hand mark appeared across Auntie Mui’s neck as she wiped away some sweat. Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. It was the only thing that gave away what was happening. </p><p>Rangi smiled and shook her head. Her mother found out what had happened just before one of Yun’s training sessions that day and he very quickly came to regret his decision. Immediately after the training, Yun sorely limped towards Rangi with a glare on his face and she simply smiled back in understanding of what Hei-Ran likely put him through. She was his bodyguard at the time, but she could never protect him from the wrath of her mother.</p><p>She didn’t want to begin to imagine what would have happened if Kyoshi never would have come with them to the Southern waters. During the travel there, Rangi had been annoyed that Kyoshi was another person for her to protect. Now, she thought about how she had been squeezed between Yun and Kyoshi as they used her as a heater on the way there. Kyoshi’s arm had been wrapped around Rangi’s the whole time they all sat together.</p><p>It felt like Rangi was getting hit by several large rocks all at once. During their trip south, Kyoshi had questioned Yun and the past Avatars, causing Rangi to whack her on the arm, telling her that every action the Avatar took was meaningful. And now here she was, critiquing the Avatar in her decisions, not respecting the path she chose to take. </p><p>Rangi hung her head in shame. Avatar Kyoshi’s destiny was not hers to choose. Her destiny was to always be by the Avatar’s side for protection, honorbound and loyal to the end. It was a difficult acceptance to make, but she needed to remember that Kyoshi’s personal past up to this point was not conducive to immediate success. She had a lot to overcome and Rangi had to help her get there.</p><p>Guilt sat heavily in her mind as she laid back on the marble surface. Her eyes glinted from star to star, thinking about the future of Avatar Kyoshi. No Avatar had ever been the same. She didn’t expect Kyoshi to be like Yangchen or Szeto, she just didn’t want Kyoshi to lose her way and fail at the office that was unwantedly thrust upon her. Rangi was going to do whatever it took to make sure her Avatar was successful and well-loved.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Rangi woke up early the next morning, just as there were signs of light on the horizon. She blinked a few times and realized that Kirima was standing over her. “I’d appreciate it if I could stop waking up to your face looking at me.”</p><p>“What a shame. I’ve been told it’s very pretty.” Kirima shrugged. “I believe you owe me something.”</p><p>Rangi sat up onto her elbows. “I owe you nothing.”</p><p>The Waterbender thought for a moment. “No, I’m pretty sure you owe me a few daofei oaths.” Those words caused Rangi’s heart to skip a few beats before Kirima continued. “Ah, yes. It seems like you remember now.”</p><p>“Not with Kyoshi around. I don’t want her knowing any of this!” She whispered back.</p><p>“Relax. Kyoshi is away from camp. It’s just us four right now. So, come on, get up, I can’t wait for the Royal Topknot Herself to repeat some daofei codes.” Kirima gleamed before standing up and walking away.</p><p>With a sigh, Rangi reluctantly stood up and grabbed her red tunic, yanking it on before tying a burgundy sash around her waist. She pulled on her black sleeve and calf gaiters before lastly putting her shoes on. It felt refreshing to not have to put her armor on for once. </p><p>She looked up to see Kirima staring at her. “What?” </p><p>“Take your time. I’ve heard all about the importance of this.” Kirima circled her hand around the top of her head, obviously making fun of her once more.</p><p>Rangi now rolled her eyes before turning away. She ran her fingers through her hair before gathering half of it into a topknot.</p><p>Before turning around, she thought about what was happening. She was about to take some form of daofei oaths purely for the sake of being all in with Kyoshi. It made her stomach sink but she truly felt it was something that needed to be done in order for her to proceed down the path Kyoshi had chosen for them.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Just like he had with Kyoshi, Wong stood behind Rangi with an opened pocket knife held over her head. This time, Lek joined them at the edge of the quarry where Rangi had meditated the night previous.</p><p>“O spirits,” Kirima began, “the bodyguard of the Avatar, comes to us, seeking the covenants of the Flying Opera Company. But how will we know her heart is true? How will we know that she stays true to the Avatar as well as the Code?”</p><p>Lek straightened his back, trying to appear taller. “Repeat after me,” he waited as Rangi nodded that she was ready. </p><p>“I shall swear these oaths,” she followed along with each section he stated. “I swear to defend the Avatar’s sworn brothers and sisters of The Flying Opera Company. Their kin will be my kin, their blood my blood. Should I fail to uphold this vow, may I be hacked to death by many knives.”</p><p>Rangi resisted the urge to roll her eyes before they continued. “I swear to follow the vows I have taken previous to this, while also beholding the vows to my sworn brothers and sisters. Should I break these agreements, may I be ripped apart by thunderbolts.”</p><p>That punishment seemed even more ridiculous than the last and the oath made zero sense to her. She was already breaking her oath to the Fire Nation Army of being a reputable soldier. Associating with daofei had broken that promise days ago.</p><p>“Lastly, I swear never to leave Avatar Kyoshi’s side. I will do what it takes to protect her at all costs. Should I ever stop honoring my commitment to protect her, may I be sliced to bits by a variety of knives.”</p><p>They really enjoyed taking oaths around knives. The last oath seemed off to her and made her realize that what she had been asked to say was entirely different from what was asked of Kyoshi.</p><p>Kirima grinned. “I see no stranger before me, but a sister. The spirits have borne witness. Let our family prosper in the days to come.” She walked forward and placed her hand on Rangi’s shoulder. “Welcome, honorary member.” The Waterbender gave her a small pat before walking away. Both Lek and Wong landed congratulatory slaps on her back before heading towards camp as well.</p><p>They left Rangi standing there, realizing that she really didn’t feel any different and her honor didn’t feel ruined. It did leave her wondering why Kirima had made new oaths for her though.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>The four of them all looked down at a sprawled out and sleeping Kyoshi. Rangi almost regretted having to wake her considering she hardly seemed to sleep, but it was time for the training to begin whether she was well-rested or not.</p><p>Rangi poked Kyoshi in the shoulder with her foot, causing the girl to stir. Her eyes blinked open as she looked up at them all. “Oh, look,” Kirima said sweetly. “Our precious little student is trying to get away and shirk her training.”</p><p>Wong stomped the ground and lifted Kyoshi to her feet with a sheet of earth. She dusted herself off and straightened out her robes as Wong proffered her fans. “I get you first,” he rumbled. “A warm-up before you start bending.”</p><p>“Topknot told us all about your little weakness,” Lek said, backing away with a smug grin on his face. “That you can’t bend small pieces of earth.”</p><p>Rangi rolled her eyes. “I believe my words were ‘completely and utterly lacks precision,’” Rangi said, sniffing in contempt. She could feel Kyoshi glaring sharply towards her but she ignored it. There was no challenge in who was ultimately in charge.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Lek said. “By the time we’re done with you, you’ll be able to bend the crud out of your own eye. Catch!”</p><p>He whipped the stone in his hand at Kyoshi’s face. With impressive reaction time, Kyoshi grabbed one of the fans from Wong’s hand and snapped it open. The stone stopped in midair before reversing course at full speed to strike Lek in the forehead. </p><p>The impact broke skin and he doubled over. “Ow!” he screamed. “I was aiming above you!”</p><p>With wide eyes, Rangi looked from the boy to Kyoshi and then to Kirima when the woman gasped. “Wait, so you can bend small things?” The Waterbender seemed upset by the revelation. “Were you lying to us again? I have to tell you, I’m getting really fed up with the secrets.”</p><p>Lek was still crying out. “I’m bleeding here! This is worse than Hujiang!”</p><p>“That’s not how you open the fan!” Wong roared indignantly. “You could have damaged the leaf!”</p><p>Rangi looked between all of them before shaking her head and burying her face in her hands. This was already a complete nightmare and she was only a moment away from screaming like Lek.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Preparations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Lots of original content! Huzzah! Plus, uh... horse stance has finally arrived.</p><p>Not too much else to say other than I’m super excited for the next chapter. </p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p><p> </p><p>Tumblr: D7kyoshi<br/>I am always taking prompt requests, just know they may take a while due to RoR being a large project and my main focus (plus life and work and stuff.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was never a dull moment on the journey to Governor Te’s palace. Each moment spent on solid ground was devoted to training or learning. The daofei and Rangi adopted their new roles as Kyoshi’s teachers with relish. It was impressive to her to see how seriously the daofei took the training and how much they pushed Kyoshi to learn the forms and techniques.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>“Wake up.” Rangi nudged Kyoshi in the shoulder with her foot.</p><p>“I’m so tired,” Kyoshi groaned and rolled over on her side before patting the bedroll right next to hers where Rangi had slept. “Let’s just go back to sleep.”</p><p>The response was endearing but not enough to change the schedule. Rangi kneeled next to Kyoshi and bent down, planting a soft kiss on her temple. She moved her lips to Kyoshi’s ear and whispered. “Kyoshi, get up or I will make you regret your decision for delaying our training time together. You’re three minutes away from me adding ten extra minutes of stance training.”</p><p>Kyoshi’s eyes shot open just as quick as she sat up. Her head slammed into Rangi’s still tender jaw and the girl stifled her reaction, only allowing a quiet curse to the Spirits to escape her. Pain ran through the side of her face as she closed her eyes and gently placed a hand over the bruise. </p><p>“I’m so sorry,” breathed Kyoshi.</p><p>Without moving her hand from her face, Rangi stood up. “Just get ready.”</p><p>Kyoshi scrambled around before they headed East towards a spot that Rangi had scouted out the previous evening after landing. It faced an open valley that would give way to the rising sun over the horizon. </p><p>The spot proved to be serene as well. There were several fruit trees scattered around the area. Bright green, lush grass covered the ground, as well as several patches of flowers. It was going to be perfect for today’s training and Rangi knew Kyoshi would appreciate the scenery once the sun was risen. </p><p>“Sit, facing me.” Rangi said as they reached the beginning of a steep slope. She turned to her left and sat down, crossing her legs. </p><p>Once Kyoshi did the same, the Firebender took a deep breath. “Today’s lesson revolves around meditating and breathing exercises. You need to be able to clear your mind and maintain a solid stasis of emotion when bending fire. Power comes from the breath, not just strength of muscle. Meditating and breathing exercises will assist in that as they will help you focus on the flow of fire.”</p><p>“I’ve never meditated before,” Kyoshi admitted.</p><p>Rangi was surprised. “Really? You never meditated with Kelsang?” The name was tough to say, a reminder of why they were here in the first place. It was quickly after that a string of realization and guilt wrapped around her. </p><p>“Do you think any of the servants had the time or access to meditate?” Kyoshi asked.</p><p>“I didn’t think about that. Well, today you learn! As the Avatar, you need to know how to meditate in order to contact your past lives. It’s one of the very few ways to do so.” Rangi gently placed her hands in her lap and sat up a little straighter.</p><p>“You want your form to look like this. A relaxed back, no slouching or overarching. Rest your hands together like this.” She gave a brief example before leaning forward, taking Kyoshi’s hands in her. She turned them so Kyoshi’s palms faced upwards and placed the right over the left. Rangi gently pushed Kyoshi’s thumbs upwards and together so they touched at the tips. </p><p>“You know you could have just shown me, right?” Kyoshi said.</p><p>Rangi looked up at the grinning face above her. The morning darkness saved her deep blushing from getting noticed. “I just wanted an excuse to touch your hands,” she replied softly. </p><p>A small chuckle came from Kyoshi. “Not to be too forward, Sifu, but I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to touch my hands whenever you want.” </p><p>The response amused Rangi. “You think you’re clever.” She sat back up again. “Next, breathing. You want to breathe in through your nose and gently exhaled through your lips. Inhale all the way in, then exhale all the way out. While you breathe, you should focus on relaxing every corner of your body and allowing yourself to feel your inner flame.”</p><p>Kyoshi nodded in understanding. “I will try my best.”</p><p>The response made Rangi feel content. There had been choices made that she didn’t agree with, but she would admit to anyone that Kyoshi was a great student. They worked on several rounds of breathing and sat in meditative silence until the sun started to rise. Rangi opened her eyes to find Kyoshi still focused. </p><p>She glanced around and saw a small patch of petunias. Reaching backwards, she plucked one of the flowers before silently leaning forward towards Kyoshi. With care, she softly placed her lips on Kyoshi’s.</p><p>A smile formed on Kyoshi’s lips as she kissed back, obviously welcoming the interruption. Rangi pulled away. “You’ve been working hard the past week, I figured you have earned a light day, at least from me. I can’t speak for anyone else”</p><p>Kyoshi’s face brightened. “Thank you. My whole body feels like it is going to fall apart and I’m exhausted.” She laid down on her side and looked up at Rangi as her lips curled into a smile. The sun’s soft morning rays hit Kyoshi’s green eyes at just the right angle. Flecks of yellow and brown showed through and Rangi couldn’t help but stare deeply into them.</p><p>“What are you looking so intensely at?” Kyoshi asked.</p><p>“You,” Rangi replied. “I’m admiring all the beautiful colors in your eyes.” She leaned forward and kissed Kyoshi on the forehead. “And I always look at your freckles and think of how cute they are.” Rangi now planted kisses on both of Kyoshi’s cheeks. Kyoshi bit her lip and turned her head away from the adoration.</p><p>“You have this certain smile sometimes, and when I see it, I know you’re genuinely happy at that moment.” Rangi began to explain as she placed the flower she had picked behind Kyoshi’s right ear. She left her hand resting gently on the side of Kyoshi's face. “It’s this silly, crooked smile. There is something so warming and gentle about it, as if everything is at peace.”</p><p>That same crooked smile appeared again as Kyoshi reached up and pulled Rangi closer. “With moments like this with you, how could I not be happy?” She continued pulling Rangi downwards until they were kissing, with Kyoshi refusing to let her go. </p><p>And that was fine by Rangi’s standards as she melted into Kyoshi. Nothing mattered right now as she let the world around them drift away. Their worries could wait as they enjoyed a moment’s peace together, wrapped in the blissfulness of each other’s love.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>“No!” Wong shouted. “It’s fan open, fan closed, high block, dainty steps backwards, big lunge forward, leg sweep! The fan is not a weapon! It’s an extension of your arm!”</p><p>Rangi watched from afar as Wong yelled at Kyoshi. She was sure the man was close to yanking the fans from Kyoshi’s hands and beating her into the ground with them. The entire training session reminded her of the days she had spent at the military base back in the Fire Nation. They were days she both missed and was glad to be rid of.</p><p>It made for great amusement to the rest of the group though as they all sat under the shade of the persimmon trees that overlooked the empty field. The daofei and her enjoyed munching on the bitter fruit as the gentle breeze kept them cooled. There were perks that came along with not having to be the teacher for a moment.</p><p>Kyoshi was huffing and puffing and saying something to Wong that offended the man even more than her hideous form. His words echoed across the field. “The singing is breath control practice! Power and voice both come from the center! Again! With emotional content this time!”</p><p>Everyone under the tree chuckled as Kyoshi‘s shoulders sunk in defeat. She continued on anyways after taking a deep breath to recenter. Rangi looked to her side to see Lek floating a small stone just above his palm.</p><p>An odd idea came to mind. “Have you ever thought about coating those in grease and having them lit on fire before shooting them?”</p><p>Lek looked at her as if she had a Komodo chicken sitting on top of her head before his face quickly settled into a sly look of approval. “That’s an idea I could get behind. I’m liking you a little more everyday!”</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>A thunderstorm began rolling through one evening and everyone rushed to get the tents set up and all the supplies covered. The daofei were impressed with the quality of the canvas, Kirima commenting about how it paid well to travel with the Avatar. It didn’t matter what anyone said at this point, Rangi was just happy that her and Kyoshi got a tent to themselves.</p><p>As they got ready for an early night, Kyoshi stopped for a moment. “I’ve had this thought lately.” </p><p>Rangi turned around to find Kyoshi half undressed. She was not expecting the lean muscle tone in her arms or the slightly defined abdomen muscles. It made her breathing skip a beat and she coughed after realizing it. “What have you been thinking?”</p><p>“How funny would it be if we tried on each other’s armor?” Kyoshi beamed.</p><p>“You wouldn’t fit in mine, you oaf!” Rangi was already chuckling at the idea. She looked back and forth between the two sets of outfittings and grinned. It had been a long time since they simply had fun together, maybe this was something they both needed right now. “Let’s try it.”</p><p>Kyoshi smiled with excitement as she walked over to Rangi. “Okay, what comes first?”</p><p>“Uh, okay, the uniform. Here’s my shirt,” Rangi undid the ties on her trousers and wiggled out of them, “and the pants.”</p><p>Kyoshi took the uniform pieces before also slipping out of her trousers and handing them to Rangi. With ease, Rangi pulled them on and tightened them around her waist as much as the ties allowed. She grinned at how long they were on her and how much fabric was bunched up at the waistline. Her height was taller than average but by no means did it help her come close to Kyoshi’s height. </p><p>She looked up to see Kyoshi and nearly lost control of herself. The shirt sleeves and pant legs of her uniform came halfway up Kyoshi’s forearms and shins. She was uncomfortably squeezed into the clothes. “It’s a good thing those are made to fit loosely on me because they are definitely form fitted to you.”</p><p>“It feels like if I move, I’m going to rip these wide open.” Kyoshi flexed her arms in front of her and they both began to giggle. </p><p>“It’s fine. I have more uniforms with me. Just don’t break the armor.” Rangi picked up the leg gaiters and greaves off the ground. “These are next. Also,” she grabbed the waistline of the trousers and pulled Kyoshi closer to her before rearranging the ends of the tunic. Rangi looked up, “this gets tucked in.” With a single movement of Kyoshi’s arm, the shirt immediately became untucked, which elicited another response of hilarity from them both.</p><p>Kyoshi stiffly bent down to pull on the first pieces of armor. Rangi helped her with the ties, which barely reached each other. She shimmied into everything else before Rangi tied a black sash around Kyoshi’s waist, with the Sei’naka clan emblem facing outwards. </p><p>Rangi stepped away and tried to choke back her laughter but it came out as hysterics instead. She snorted several times as she looked at the ridiculousness in front of her. Her shoulder armor sat on Kyoshi like it had once belonged to a small child. </p><p>“I take it that I look like a strong, impervious Fire Nation soldier like you?” Kyoshi stepped into a firebending stance and held her fists up to Rangi before joining the fits of laughter.</p><p>The firebender walked over to Kyoshi’s clothes and began to immediately feel swallowed. The hakama skirt was just as long on her as the pants. “How do you wear all of this?” Rangi turned around to look at Kyoshi and only ended up snorting again.</p><p>“I don’t know, I just do?” Kyoshi placed her hands on her hips. “Does this pose remind you of someone?”</p><p>“I do not look like that!” Rangi scoffed as she placed her hands on her hips. She looked down at herself and rolled her eyes. “Okay, maybe a little.”</p><p>Kyoshi took a few steps forward and pressed her pointer finger into Rangi’s chest. “Don’t talk back or else it’s horse stance for you!”</p><p>Rangi swatted Kyoshi’s hand away in amusement before she slung the chain mail tunic vest onto her shoulders. It was impressive that Kyoshi wore this so easily, as if it weighed nothing. Recently, they had taken to not wearing their armor as they traveled and trained. It felt odd at first but Rangi had come to enjoy the small amount of freedom. </p><p>She finished the whole ensemble by wrapping the ornate obi around her waist several times before cinching it with a tie. Rangi looked up with a huge grin and slowly sank into horse stance, pretending to struggle. “Tell me, does this pose remind you of someone?” </p><p>“Hey! That was maybe a week ago! It’s better now.” Kyoshi defended herself through more laughter. It was contagious, forcing Rangi to slowly break out into hysterics again. They hooted and hollered at the sight of each other and at their teasing poses. Rangi clutched at her stomach and ribs as they started to cramp. Both of them had to wipe tears from their eyes.</p><p>“Would you two SHUT IT!?” Kirima’s voice echoed over the sound of rain and through the camp. “Some of us want to sleep!”</p><p>Both of them paused and looked at each with wide eyes like little children getting caught in the kitchen. It was only a moment before they started again, too amused by their own antics. It had been a while since they had laughed or enjoyed themselves this much. </p><p>Before Yun arrived, the two of them had already formed a friendship founded in comfort and amusement. They had been the only children at the mansion as it finished getting built, at the time awaiting the arrival of the Avatar. </p><p>As their laughter calmed down, Rangi thought back to when her and Kyoshi would play through the gardens when they were twelve, laughing while chasing one another. As they got older, there were some days where they would take walks and Kyoshi would just listen to her ramble on about the lessons she had recently learned while back at Junior Corp for training. Once Yun arrived, their time spent together was cut short.</p><p>“What did you do in the months when I had to leave for training?” Rangi asked after collecting herself. She peeled off the several layers of clothing and armor before walking towards Kyoshi to help remove the Fire Nation armor.</p><p>“I spent a lot of extra time with Kelsang, learning.” Kyoshi ducked down so Rangi could pull the main shoulder armor over her head. “I ran a lot of errands for…”</p><p>Rangi realized what word came next. “You don’t have to say his name.” Kyoshi frowned as she gave a small nod. They continued in silence, Rangi yanking off the final layer of clothing before noticing they were both down to their underclothing. She couldn’t help but soak Kyoshi in with the lamp light glowing off of her skin.</p><p>Kyoshi was gorgeous. Rangi could feel her palms beginning to sweat as she bit her lip to hold back every racing thought.They looked each other in the eyes and both swallowed back their nervousness. </p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>It was nearing lunch and they had stopped for a quick break and even longer training session for Kyoshi. Wong berated her once more for not being graceful enough with the fans. He demanded perfection and grace, both which Kyoshi was currently lacking, especially the latter.</p><p>Rangi sat cross legged on top of a boulder and watched. She stared at Kyoshi and couldn’t help but feel a sense of mirth. In front of her was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. As the days passed by and they spent more time together than ever before, Rangi fell deeper in love, more than she thought she could.</p><p>Kyoshi’s sleeves were rolled up above her elbows and after several days of constant training in the sun, she was becoming more tan and the freckles dotted across her face and body became more prominent. The gradual darkening of her skin contrasted with her green eyes, making them appear more vibrant. They were similar to the churning, intense color an ocean turned during a powerful storm.</p><p>Rangi loved when Kyoshi would pull her hair up into a high ponytail, revealing more of her neck. It made her stomach flutter, thinking about her lips pressing against and grazing along one of her favorite spots whenever they had a moment to themselves. And how Kyoshi’s chin would tilt upwards, exposing more surface area for her to explore. The soft gasps that Kyoshi gave way to. She could spend every waking moment exploring Kyoshi if the world let her have the time.</p><p>Rangi stopped, took a deep breath, and blinked away the distracting thoughts after realizing where her mind was quickly going. </p><p>It was nearly impossible to stop thinking about it though when her whole world revolved around Kyoshi now. And she never wanted to leave her side. Every day, when she woke up in Kyoshi’s arms, she felt happier than she had ever before. Oddly enough to her, she felt safer and warmer. And when Kyoshi would whisper something sweet and plant a small, gentle kiss on Rangi’s forehead just before kissing her lips, Rangi felt incredibly loved and lucky. </p><p>Sometimes if she thought about it too much, Rangi would begin to tear up. With as much joy as their relationship brought her, it also brought the fear of losing the person she had come to love over the past years. Kyoshi was the Avatar, which meant undeniable danger in their future. It also meant Rangi would be put in harm’s way and she couldn’t bear to leave Kyoshi behind if she was ever taken away.</p><p>“Why the long face?” Kirima’s voice interrupted her thoughts.</p><p>“Nothing of your concern,” Rangi said as she silently watched Kyoshi, hoping it would deter the daofei woman from talking to her.</p><p>Kirima sat down next to her. “You admiring your beautiful Earthbender?”</p><p>With everything she had, Rangi tried her best to keep from blushing. “I’m admiring how far she has come in two weeks.”</p><p>“I agree. She’s very impressive.” Kirima picked at a few blades of grass. “She’s going to make a great Avatar one day.”</p><p>Rangi agreed but was a little angered by the statement. “She could have been even better if the daofei oaths weren’t sitting on her shoulders for the rest of her life.”</p><p>“Hey, Hairpin. That wasn’t my idea. It was all hers!” Kirima argued back.</p><p>“You still allowed it to happen.” Rangi refused to look away from Kyoshi as she trained.</p><p>“And so did you. Tell me, why do you keep letting her make the decisions?” It was a question that Rangi had answered and tried to come to terms with back when they landed in the quarry.</p><p>Rangi finally looked away from the training and down at her lap. “I can’t go against what the Avatar says. Everything they do is for a purpose. I don’t like this, but I’m trying to make the best of it all. Okay?”</p><p>Kirima was silent for a moment. “You’re incredibly loyal, you know that?”</p><p>It was a beat of sincerity that was unexpected, but it almost made Rangi feel worse. There was still that edge of guilt on her mind trying to gauge if she truly could have stopped all of this. Then there was the reminder that it wasn’t her job to stop the decisions of the Avatar. She was there as a bodyguard, not an advisor, and Kyoshi had made that clear.</p><p>Rangi changed the subject. “Why didn’t you give me the correct daofei oaths?”</p><p>A chuckle came from Kirima. “You are not truly daofei, nor will you ever be. I was never going to let you commit to the true oaths because you would have come to regret the decision, sort of like you are currently.”</p><p>Kirima paused. “But, you are part of the Flying Opera Company, whether you like it or not. You’re the Avatar’s companion. We wouldn’t deny the Avatar bringing along whomever they wanted.”</p><p>“So, were those actual oaths at all?” Rangi looked sideways at the woman.</p><p>“If we said them under the knife, they’re real.” Kirima took another moment to think. “I wrote them the night of your lei tai victory. You know, I’ve never seen Mok so impressed with someone. The man you took on has been a long time victor in Hujiang and you took him out in a matter of a few minutes.”</p><p>Rangi grinned. “He truly wasn’t a very good fighter.” Kirima chuckled at her response.</p><p>Once more they sat in silence and watched the training. Kyoshi had upset Wong again and he was yelling so loud that his booming voice sent a small flock of birds flying. This time, Kyoshi fought back a little, her voice becoming impressively loud too. Rangi had never heard her yell or retaliate quite like that.</p><p>Ultimately, Wong won the fight and Kyoshi spent the next several minutes in a plank position with her forearms and fists on the ground, gripping tightly to her fans. </p><p>“I don’t understand why anyone would choose to become daofei,” Rangi said in contemplation.</p><p>“We all have different reasons and stories. Some people use it for survival, others for adventure,” Kirima responded.</p><p>“There are more honorable and righteous ways to survive or have adventure.” She didn’t necessarily want to hear about their stories on why they resorted to a life of crime.</p><p>“Look, there are some things that you will never come to understand unless you are a part of them. And guess what, you’re a part of us now. You took oaths to this group, as well as Avatar Kyoshi.” Kirima threw a few of the grass blades in her hand at Rangi. “Did you have to follow Kyoshi from the Gravedigger’s home? Did she force you to come along?”</p><p>Rangi wiped the grass off of her lap. “No, she didn’t force me, but I had to come. I’m honor bound to the Avatar.”</p><p>“You didn’t follow her for that reason though, did you?” Kirima asked, seeing right through her.</p><p>Rangi hung her head for a moment. “No. It was one of the reasons, but it was not the main one.”</p><p>“Well then, whose fault is it that you’re here then? It’s not Kyoshi’s. She didn’t beg of you to follow her and she didn’t force you to either. She gave you a choice and you made the decision. You are the one that chose this new path and you chose to follow it outside of your place as the Avatar’s bodyguard.” Kirima said. “It’s the same for all of us. We all understand that being daofei isn’t honorable and righteous by the standards of the world around us, but for us it is.”</p><p>Rangi sat there in silence. There was a lot to say sitting on the tip of her tongue. “In what world is stealing an honorable cause?” she snapped.</p><p>“When the people put in charge take advantage of those with not enough power to have a loud enough voice.” Kirima sighed and shook her head. “Did you not see the state of Chameleon Bay? It used to be a daofei outpost. Now, no daofei visits there unless it’s for desperate measures. All of those people you saw are simple, everyday citizens that have nothing left to their names, all because Jianzhu has made it his calling to drive us out, whether through murder or starvation or any means necessary. And the Earth King turns his head in a different direction and allows it to happen.”</p><p>Rangi had opened up a conversation that she now regretted. She was ready to fight, but perhaps in this moment, swallowing her pride was in the best interest for Kyoshi. “Look, I will never understand why you would choose a life of crime, just as much as you will never understand why I am in the Fire Nation Army and why my honor means so much to me. But, we can agree on one front and that’s Jianzhu.”</p><p>Kirima scoffed. “Why do you have a reason to hate Jianzhu? He’s been trying to get rid of the people you hate the most.”</p><p>Rangi closed her eyes. “Because the people he killed that Kyoshi loved, they meant something to me too. And my mother is back in Yokoya with that man and I have feared for her everyday since leaving with Kyoshi.” </p><p>Kirima nodded and then stood up. “I’m sorry to hear that but I’m glad we can agree on something. Good talk, Hotwoman.”</p><p>It was a matter of true effort and resistance that kept Rangi from reaching out and grabbing Kirima’s ankle in order to trip her. She understood what the woman had been explaining and she had seen the sights. It sickened Rangi to see the state of the citizens living across the Earth Kingdom.</p><p>What Kirima had said began to sink in more. Yun was an advocate for the people, but now Rangi began to wonder just how far down the chain he would had been willing to reach. Several times Yun had used the term ‘daofei scum’ in reluctance to ever help them. Him and Jianzhu discussed ways to control and eliminate the many bands of outlaws. </p><p>Then, there was Kyoshi. She was the complete opposite. Kyoshi had brought herself all the way to the bottom out of necessity and saw value in the Flying Opera Company. Without question, she gave the group complete benefit of the doubt, trusting they would help her purely due to family ties. </p><p>A shudder ran down Rangi’s spine when she realized just how much Yun had started to become similar to Jianzhu. And due to that, she couldn’t help but question if Yun would have still accepted her if he truly knew about Kyoshi’s history. </p><p> </p><p>***********</p><p> </p><p>Kyoshi could firebend without her fans.</p><p>The change compared to the disaster attempt in Chameleon Bay did impress Rangi. Several movements and forms started to become more precise over the days of grueling practice. While it was still sloppy at best, it was satisfying to watch Kyoshi handle flame more naturally than her own element. </p><p>“Am I better at firebending because I’m more natural at it or because you’re just a great teacher?” Kyoshi asked as she blocked a small flame.</p><p>That was a nice compliment, especially considering it was the core of the Sei’naka clan to be the greatest teachers of the practice. Her teaching had only minimal to do with it though. “No, it’s your emotional state,” Rangi said.</p><p>She faced Kyoshi on a narrow beam that she ordered the Earthbender to raise herself. They had set up a training spot at the very end of a shepherd's path, leading away from the small village below. Kyoshi had some difficulty simply balancing, and when Rangi introduced bending forms and light sparring, it brought on a whole new challenge. </p><p>Earthbenders were used to using neutral jing so much that they often fell into a more passive, defensive approach. If Kyoshi was going to get any better with firebending, then she would need to work on using positive jing. This had been a known issue to break through since before they started training.</p><p>“Of all bending disciplines, fire is the most affected by inner turmoil,” Rangi explained, punching a flame downward at Kyoshi’s front foot. She pulled back. “The fact that it’s coming easier to you now means you’re feeling more relaxed and natural.”</p><p>Kyoshi led with a snap-kick with her new leading leg. A crescent of fire sliced upward, and Rangi cut it in half with a side kick. It made her reconsider how much pressure she wanted to apply. “Isn’t that a good thing?” Kyoshi asked.</p><p>“No! Why would it be? You feel loose and breezy when you’re surrounded by daofei, about to risk your life for them in what’s essentially an act of treason against the Earth King?!” Rangi spun on the balls of her feet, her fists by her sides as a horizontal skirt of flame billowed out from her waist. </p><p>For the past few days, Rangi had been feeling relaxed too. She had begun to gradually feel more confident about the group they were with until Kirima managed to pluck every cord in the wrong manner earlier that morning. It reminded her why they needed to continue to be cautious. She was fed up with the constant name calling and teasing, and she was still skeptical about Kyoshi’s decision to stay with the group of daofei. </p><p>Her face dropped in additional disapproval when, instead of blocking her attack with an offensive move, Kyoshi opted to drop to her stomach and hug the side of the beam in order to let the wave pass over her. The girl truly had no shame.</p><p>“You’re firebending now,” Rangi said. “Dare I say, you might even be good at it. There’s no reason to continue on this path. We could go to the sages and prove you’re the Avatar.” It was one more last ditch effort to redirect themselves. </p><p>Kyoshi stood back up and regained her balance, before shaking her head. “Which ones, exactly? Because the only sages I know are the names from Jianzhu’s guest lists!” She looked at Rangi with pain in her eyes. The subject was never going to be an easy one to breach. “Should we try Lu Beifong? The man who thinks of Jianzhu like his own son? Or maybe someone at the court of Omashu! Omashu is practically his summer home!”</p><p>Rangi’s shoulders dropped as she bit at the inside of her cheek. “We could go to my mother,” she replied, her voice barely audible. They stood there, staring at one another, both of them hurting from the guilts that weighed them down. Every day it hurt Rangi knowing that she had left her mother behind. If Jianzhu truly committed the murders that Kyoshi stated, then she didn’t want to imagine what could potentially happen to the only family she had left. Her mother was perfectly capable of defending herself but it didn’t make it all any easier to handle. </p><p>“Do you really think she’d take our side over his?” Kyoshi asked. It was a question that she had tried to push to the back of her mind. She was her mother’s daughter and Kyoshi was the Avatar, but the bond and friendship between the Avatar’s companions in eras past was the stuff of legend. It was a potentially bitter truth that her own mother might choose Jianzhu over her. </p><p>Her face wilted further after some contemplation. “I don’t know.” She paused. “I couldn’t be certain. I guess if we can’t trust my own mother, then we can’t trust anyone.” </p><p>Tears began to blur Rangi’s eyes as Kyoshi carefully walked towards her until she could wrap her arms around Rangi. She put her arms around Kyoshi as well and buried her face. All of this was difficult to handle and as the raid on Governor Te’s palace approached, only more stress was added on their wobbling stack of issues. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Kyoshi said. “I’ve taken so much from you. I don’t know how to make it right.”</p><p>Rangi wiped her nose and pushed Kyoshi away. “You can start by promising me you’ll be a great Avatar. A leader who’s virtuous and just.” Kyoshi wobbled and looked down at her feet. The lack of response or promise didn’t go unnoticed and Rangi anchored herself once more to ensure Kyoshi would not lose her way.</p><p>She lined up a big attack to knock Kyoshi off the beam. With overly exaggerated motions and openings, she hoped for a counter attack before given the chance to strike. But, Kyoshi did not capitalize on the opportunity and instead backed away to the end of the beam and waved her hands in a mockery of firebending. Puffs of smoke and heat sputtered from her fingers. </p><p>“You two have been here all morning,” Kirima’s voice called out as she approached along the trail. “It’s my turn with Kyoshi.”</p><p>The woman’s interruption made the hairs on Rangi’s neck stand at attention. “Buzz off!” Rangi yelled. She pivoted on the balls of her feet and redirected the fire between her hands high above Kirima’s head.</p><p>Her patience for Kirima was at an all time low. There was constant talk about how Kyoshi was going to be a great Waterbender because of her teaching skills and about how she was going to begin a bloodline of teachers just like Rangi’s family. It did nothing but insult the Firebender. And the more it was discussed, the more callous Rangi became towards her. </p><p>Kirima didn’t flinch from the fire blast. She let the flaming heat pass overhead before making her comment. “You’re not setting a very good example for the baby Avatar, Topknot. Too much rage will stunt her growth.”</p><p>“Stop calling me that!” Rangi fumed.</p><p>She was bitter, but would never admit it to Kyoshi. Rangi disliked how much Kyoshi had already come to trust Kirima’s judgement. She didn’t appreciate the name calling and teasing. Most of all, Rangi was frustrated about how much Kyoshi had taken Kirima’s opinions and input over her own. Her knowledge of the Avatar cycles and training was endless and yet Kyoshi often heeded the advice of a daofei woman.</p><p>Kirima bowed in mockery. “As you wish, my good Hotwoman. I’m coming back in five minutes.”</p><p>As the woman walked out of sight, Rangi felt a hand on her shoulder. “Did something happen between the two of you?”</p><p>With a shrug, she brushed the hand away and pointed towards a spot on the ground in order to avoid the subject. Kyoshi didn’t need to know about the issues between her and Kirima. In fact, there was no way to explain everything without mentioning the oaths. “Stance training.”</p><p>“We already did stance training!” Kyoshi sulked.</p><p>“Lek said you went berserk in the cave. We’re moving to two a day. Horse. Now.”</p><p>Rangi watched as Kyoshi slowly sank into the stance position before circling her, looking for any weakness where she could strike. “Do not move,” she said, right before stepping carefully onto Kyoshi’s bent knee. She rested her hands on Kyoshi’s shoulders to allow her bodyweight to distribute across the one side.</p><p>“I hate you so much!” Kyoshi yelled.</p><p>“The exercise is to maintain composure in the face of distraction! Now maintain!”</p><p>After some time of resting her weight on Kyoshi, Rangi dropped back down to the ground. “I don’t want her teaching you waterbending,” she said as she moved into Kyoshi’s blind spot and behind her. </p><p>“Why?” Kyoshi asked as Rangi leaped onto her back, clinging to her like a rucksack. “Agh! Why!”</p><p>Rangi wrapped her legs around Kyoshi’s waist and her arms over her shoulders, where she also rested her chin. “There’s a proper order to training the Avatar. The cycle of the seasons. Earth, fire, air, water. It’s not good to deviate from that pattern. You have to master the other elements before water.”</p><p>“Again, why?” </p><p>“Because!” Rangi snapped. “They say bad things happen when an Avatar tries to defy the natural order of bending. Ill fortune befalls them.”</p><p>She wasn’t one to believe in superstition, but with how Kyoshi’s Avatarhood was beginning, it made her wonder if she should rely on that just as much as tradition. The whole process had been painful to watch up to this point. And once more, Kyoshi was silent towards making any promises.</p><p>“I’m going to use every weapon I have at my disposal,” Kyoshi replied calmly.</p><p>Rangi let go and straightened out her clothes. Sooner or later, she was going to have to fully accept that Avatar Kyoshi would simply have a dramatically different story compared to the Avatars before her. “I know. I can’t stop you from training with Kirima. It’s just that as soon as you start waterbending in earnest, our chance to do things the right way dies. Forever. It can’t be brought back.”</p><p>She watched as the statement sunk in. Kyoshi stared downwards at the ground in front of her. Rangi felt bad for causing that much anguish. She smiled to herself, deciding the act on something she had been wanting to do for a while. A few nights previous had awakened quite a bit in her. </p><p>Rangi moved to the front of Kyoshi. “Come on,” she said. “Cheer up. I didn’t mean to send you into a spiral.”</p><p>“I can’t cheer up. I’m in horse stance.”</p><p>Rangi smiled. “I like your focus, but see if you can withstand this.”</p><p>She stepped forward and slid between Kyoshi’s arms. Her thumb and forefinger pushed Kyoshi’s chin upwards and Rangi’s lips pressed deep into Kyoshi’s. She could feel her beginning to sink under the pressure, overtaken by the power and force.</p><p>Rangi pulled back. “Maintain,” she murmured, her lips softly brushing Kyoshi’s. She held them there for a second or two, amused and obsessed with how much control she had. With no warning, she attacked again, with added ferocity. </p><p>The hand that was on Kyoshi’s chin snaked around her neck and Rangi deepened the kiss with a swipe of her tongue. Her other hand slowly traced up the back of Kyoshi’s shoulders, squeezing and pulling their bodies flush. Kyoshi moaned softly into their kiss as Rangi now ran both of her hands through Kyoshi’s hair, twisting and pulling to show Kyoshi just how much she was at the mercy of the Firebender’s affections.</p><p>Rangi broke the contact and moved her lips along Kyoshi’s jaw and down her neck before breathing a wisp of steam down Kyoshi’s clothing. </p><p>She leaned in for one last seductive whisper. “You still have seven minutes left to go.” Rangi backed away completely and watched with a grin as Kyoshi’s eyes slowly opened. She looked lovestruck and dumbfounded but didn’t complain about stance training the rest of the allotted time.</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Conclusions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy 10,000 views! WOW!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all of the continued support!</p>
<p>Originally, this is a Jianzhu chapter so I changed it to a Hei-Ran chapter. Hopefully you all enjoy it!! I know it’s not Rangi or Kyoshi but it’s (what I consider) an exciting twist on canon. More notes at the end on this.</p>
<p>Forever thank you to my little circle that helps with bouncing around ideas and let’s me go meta about this fic! Your time and input means the world to me.</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tumblr: D7kyoshi</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hei-Ran desperately missed the luxury of a flying bison. No bumping around. No traversing different terrains. Just the smooth wind in her hair and the ability to go anywhere they wished. As soon as Jianzhu left to find the shirshu that was supposed to be tracking the Avatar, she made her way to the stables, tacked up an ostrich horse, and began her own trek.</p>
<p>The day prior, she had packed saddle bags in anticipation of her trip without Jianzhu’s knowledge. Despite their nearly lifelong friendship, she had grown to not fully trust him over the past few years. His currently growing desperation to find Kyoshi was only proving her right. And while he considered himself a master player in the game of politics, she knew the game much better. Hei-Ran had grown up in the royal courts and at the hands of militants and politicians. Jianzhu was a man from nothing that learned money was a tool for power and influence. He was smart and cunning, but he didn’t know the true depths of intrigue like she did.</p>
<p>While Jianzhu was away, Hei-Ran had decided to begin investigating in hopes to resolve their current dilemma. There were moments in her conversations with Jianzhu that he seemed to hesitate, determining how much of the truth to tell. He was hiding several tiles close to his chest and was likely willing to die before ever releasing what he fully knew. It was foolish of him to assume she couldn’t tell.</p>
<p>On the day Jianzhu had left with Yun and Kyoshi, he had not made anyone else aware of their whereabouts. Her search in Yokoya had not been successful and by time she was ready to head back to the mansion, a large storm had rolled in and kept her from leaving. That night, she had been forced to find a room at the small inn within town.</p>
<p>It had worked out in the end, given she had an offshore meeting with the Fire Navy first thing the following morning. When she finally arrived back at the mansion, Jianzhu gave her the news of Kyoshi being the true Avatar and Yun and Kelsang being attacked by a spirit. He proceeded to inform her that Kyoshi had run away with Pengpeng due to a grudge she now held against him. </p>
<p>Immediately after that, Hei-Ran was told by a servant that Rangi had left with Kyoshi. And why wouldn’t she? Rangi had done the right thing by staying with the Avatar and she commended her daughter for adjusting and reacting quickly. It made Hei-Ran wonder what Rangi knew that she didn’t yet though. </p>
<p>If it was just a matter of a grudge like Jianzhu had mentioned, then Rangi could have logically talked Kyoshi down from her state of panic. She never would have allowed the Avatar to leave unless there was a legitimately viable threat. The biggest problem with Rangi leaving with the Avatar is that she was beyond her years in smarts when it came to strategy and evasion. If anyone could find them, Hei-Ran would be impressed.</p>
<p>As she made her way across the western base of the Xishaan Mountains, the destination slowly appeared in the distance. It was an empty mining settlement, one of many along this particular mountain chain. The area was barren, the excavation had sucked the life from the land. Trees were decaying and slowly slumping over, half their roots protruding from the dried up ground.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until she entered the derelict village that Hei-Ran realized why the trees were torn down though. She had seen a similar sight many years prior during her time with Kuruk. A shallow crater covered a large surface area. Massive chunks of earth were missing from the hillside and scorched areas marked the ground. Jianzhu had triggered the Avatar State in Kyoshi.</p>
<p>She thought back to her conversation with Jianzhu once more. A grudge wouldn’t have been enough for Kyoshi to call on the full Avatar State. Unless an Avatar was seasoned in their training, it was difficult to summon such a power without the force of raw emotion. Hei-Ran couldn’t even get Kyoshi to firebend using a test made for newborns. Kyoshi, the quiet servant and lackluster Earthbender now turned Avatar, had to have been provoked.</p>
<p>Jianzhu had mentioned that a ‘treacherous’ spirit had got a hold of Yun and Kelsang. Perhaps that was enough to call upon the power? </p>
<p>Hei-Ran pulled the ostrich horse to a halt when something caught her eye. Near a patch of underbrush and dead trees was a slump of dulled yellow and orange fabric. Her breathing hitched as she hoped it wasn’t what - or who - she thought. She dismounted, tied her mount to a nearby tree, and cautiously walked forward.</p>
<p>What she found made her stomach drop. It was Kelsang. Hei-Ran pinched the bridge of her nose to collect herself as her anger rose. The man’s body had been laying here for days. He had been murdered and Jianzhu had been so absorbed in maintaining grips on the Avatar, that he had left Kelsang behind. Jianzhu had lost respect for not just their friend, but for the deceased.</p>
<p>She grabbed Kelsang by the shoulder and pulled him to his back. A small, earthen dagger had sliced and stabbed his neck. This changed the entirety of Jianzhu’s story.</p>
<p>Spirits couldn’t bend elements, at least from what she had learned. Kelsang meant more to Kyoshi than any of them and that ruled her out immediately. That left Yun or Jianzhu. Given Yun’s training, it was very possible that he could have murdered Kelsang but under what prerogative?</p>
<p>The answer hit her like a landslide. Kyoshi was the true Avatar and had no ties or attachment to Jianzhu. That meant she likely would have chosen to be taken under Kelsang’s guidance once they had returned to the grounds. Jianzhu would have had the majority of his power and stature throughout the Earth Kingdom taken from him, and it made him crazed to keep his own stars aligned.</p>
<p>He killed their best friend out of spite and desperation. “Oh, Kelsang, I’m so sorry.” Hei-Ran said as she stood up and looked around. Leaving her friend unburied would not bode well with the spirits, but she had no means to dig a proper grave. She gazed at the trees around her and came to the conclusion that Kelsang would be treated to the funeral traditions of the Fire Nation. It would be the only way to get him back to Yokoya with minimal suspicion as well. </p>
<p>Hei-Ran walked back to her ostrich horse to grab the hatchet from the saddle bags. For hours, she scoured the area and chopped down tree limb after tree limb before dragging them to an open area of hard-packed ground. She hardly stopped, only to occasionally wipe the sweat from her brow and to drink water. This needed to be finished just before the sunset.</p>
<p>Once she had collected plenty of wood, Hei-Ran walked back over to Kelsang and wrapped her arms under his armpits. The state of his body sickened her. If Jianzhu would have been in striking distance at this exact moment, she would have killed him on the spot. With every ounce of strength she had, Hei-Ran dragged Kelsang’s large body towards the area she had picked out.</p>
<p>She gently placed him down and looked at the small earthen stake. Slowly, she pulled it from his throat and placed it on the ground. Hei-Ran arranged the monk’s robes so he looked more presentable. Then, branch by branch, she began to encircle Kelsang’s body until a makeshift funeral pyre fully encased the man. </p>
<p>Hei-Ran moved to the middle of his right side and kneeled down at the base of the pyre. A small flame came from the palm of her hand as she set fire to the timber. As the fire began to spread, she stood up and took a few steps back before kneeling once more. </p>
<p>The woman shook her head once more at the disrespect Jianzhu had displayed. “Kelsang, you didn’t deserve this. I promise to get you a grave marker once everything gets sorted. And I’ll make sure Kyoshi gets your ashes. I’m going to do the best I can with her after Jianzhu is no longer involved.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “You would have been a much better suited advisor for her. I hope Jianzhu’s actions have not left your spirit angry and please forgive me for anything I have ever done to hurt you.”</p>
<p>The evening had been still until a strong gust of wind blew across the hilltop, pulling some of her hair loose and into her face. Her robes billowed like sails and she was nearly dragged along the ground like a boat in the water. Hei-Ran sighed in despair. “I really hope Kyoshi didn’t learn to be a trickster like you.”</p>
<p>After changing into the clean set of robes she had packed, Hei-Ran spent the rest of the evening gazing into the flames and embers of Kelsang’s pyre, wondering where exactly all of this had gone wrong. That swiftly became a minor focus in comparison to when she began to strategize how she was going to get a step up on Jianzhu. Time was not on her side and she would need to create her own opportunity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>**********</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The following morning, Hei-Ran collected Kelsang’s ashes in a leather satchel, promising to find a better vessel once they got back to the mansion. She mounted the ostrich horse once more. Before leaving, they walked around and examined the area. There was no sign of Yun. Perhaps Jianzhu was only half lying and the boy was taken by a spirit. It had been known to happen before, though most of the stories sounded strictly like hearsay. </p>
<p>She looked one last time at the shallow crater. The damage that Kyoshi’s Avatar State had done was impressive. They had all seen an example of the girl’s strength and power during Tagaka’s ambush. If it hadn’t been for that, they surely would have been killed or captured. Hei-Ran made a note to herself to thank Kyoshi later as she headed back towards Yokoya.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>**********</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jianzhu’s study was a mess compared to usual. It was of no surprise though, he had probably spent most of the past several nights staring blankly at letters and maps. She stood behind his desk and looked over the documents. </p>
<p>Trade agreements with allies, proposed embargos against competitors, a well wishes letter from the Earth King himself, a map with circled areas that Jianzhu suspected the Avatar could have gone; it was all little to no help. There had to be something around the office that he had been keeping from her. </p>
<p>Hei-Ran decided to take a break and walk through the gardens to process the information she already knew. She had hardly made any headway since finding Kelsang’s body. Jianzhu was clever and covered his tracks well. There was only so much Hei-Ran could do before it became obvious that she had been peeking around through his office. Her success hung on the ability to remain discreet.</p>
<p>She made her way to the courtyard in perfect time as a sentry came trotting over to her with a green tube in hand. He bowed. “Correspondence from Chamberlain Hui.”</p>
<p>Her nose scrunched at the name but this was seeming to be her opening. With elegance, she took the letter from the guard. “I’m sure this is urgent and will take it in Jianzhu’s steed. You are dismissed.”</p>
<p>With a pivot on her heels, Hei-Ran made her way back inside and to her own private study. She opened and closed the door with sharp movement. What could Hui want? On her desk was a sharp letter opener and she used it to pry the seal from the letter. Her eyes widened as she read across the page.</p>
<p>The Avatar had been captured by daofei somewhere along the Taihua Mountains. She stared blankly at the page. It was strange to her that they would travel past Ba Sing Se. What was more curious to her is why Rangi would allow them to go that far away from Yokoya in the first place. They had to have been running from something. Was it actually the daofei or was it Jianzhu? Perhaps both?</p>
<p>She continued to read. Hui stated to Jianzhu in the letter that he believed the Sage from Gan Jin was no longer suited for the position advising the Avatar. He wished to discuss the matter among the other sages and have a vote to who would take over the role in two fortnights. It wasn’t often that Hui was so direct in his wording and she appreciated the rareness in this moment.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran put the letter down and thought everything over. This was exactly what she needed to get the upper hand. What she was thinking would potentially create more avenues that she would have to navigate but it would remove Jianzhu from the picture. While maintaining her calmness, the woman took out parchment, brush, and ink and sat down in her chair. This response needs to be perfect.</p>
<p>Every word was carefully planned to make sure her intentions were clear. She let the ink dry while melting wax for the seal. Once ready, Hei-Ran rolled the parchment up, sealed it with a generic press, and slid it back into the messenger tube. </p>
<p>There was no expression on her face as she walked back to the courtyard and over to the sentry that originally handed her Hui’s letter. “Is the hawk still here?”</p>
<p>He stood at attention. “Yes, Mistress Hei-Ran.”</p>
<p>“Very good. Send this off immediately back to Chamberlain Hui.” Hei-Ran handed the man the correspondence and watched as he bowed before leaving to send it off.</p>
<p>With a sigh of contemplation, she turned around and once more walked through the front courtyard. This was something Jianzhu would never find out about. She had burnt Hui’s letter before leaving her office. If his letter was ever brought up, then there would be no evidence to stand on. </p>
<p>The Chamberlain and other sages opposing Jianzhu would arrive shortly after Jianzhu’s return, per her urgent request. Jianzhu wouldn’t know that though. He would simply be made aware that Hui was on the move to seek his expulsion from the position. She wouldn’t tell him a time frame because she already knew that he would guess a loose arrival date anyways. And when Hui arrived earlier than Jianzhu expected? What a surprise that would be. </p>
<p>And Hei-Ran would play along, slowly placing her tiles down while no one was looking. It was going to take long term strategic movements, but she was out for blood as much as Jianzhu now. The only difference between them was that she understood all too well that warfare was based on deception and how to encourage the arrogance of man in order to give them false control.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So! I started thinking about what to do with this chapter and then had a moment of thought... given what we know about Hei-Ran now after SOK, I fail to believe that she would have idled by and let Jianzhu do his thing. The woman is way too cunning and versed in the world of politics to not see directly through him.</p>
<p>Just my thoughts.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, I also wanted Kelsang to have an ounce of respect and peace.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Questions and Meditations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Posting a little late today, but hey, late is better than never! </p>
<p>I’m insanely grateful for how much y’all loved the previous chapter with Hei-Ran. The next chapter with her in it is going to be very interesting.</p>
<p>There’s not much else to say, really. Other than that we are about to start flying by the seat of our pants with these last several chapters.</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been decided that the group would fly through the night in order to get ahead of their schedule. The idea was to get more time to stake out and develop a plan on how they were going to enter Te’s palace. They were running low on supplies as well so getting to a village was becoming vital.</p>
<p>Lek had joined Rangi at the front of Pengpeng. She was impressed as she watched him juggle five pebbles. “And you’re not earthbending?”</p>
<p>“Nope.” He was looking upwards at where the pebbles arched. Lek’s tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated.</p>
<p>Rangi followed the pebbles until Lek caught them all in his hands. He smiled as she clapped quietly. “That was great! I’ve seen people juggle three, but never five.”</p>
<p>“Thank you!” He lowered his voice and leaned forward, “I learned that from Hark, but don’t tell Kyoshi. She might yell and push me off the bison.”</p>
<p>She couldn’t help but smirk at his comment. “You might be correct on that.”</p>
<p>Lek looked out at the night sky as he scratched at Pengpeng’s neck. “You two didn’t actually steal her, did you?”</p>
<p>Rangi shook her head. She was saddened by the thought of Pengpeng never seeing Kelsang again and wondered if she missed him too. “No. She belonged to an Air Nomad, Kelsang. He, uh, was one of the people killed by Jianzhu.”</p>
<p>“Who kills an Air Nomad?” Lek growled. He softened up quickly though. “I’ve always wanted to visit the Air Temples. It would be neat to see all of the sky bison herds. Have you been to any of the temples?”</p>
<p>His new excitement was endearing. “No, I haven’t been able to visit one yet. Maybe after this, I could visit the Southern Air Temple. That’s where Kelsang was from.”</p>
<p>Lek leaned forward, his eyes wide and gleaming. “Please can I come with you? Please?”</p>
<p>That was not the reaction Rangi had been expecting. For the most part, it had taken the boy a while to begin warming up to them. His sudden burst of hope and jubilation was enough to boost her mood, making her feel more comfortable around their new companions. She was beginning to suspect that they would be around longer than just the upcoming mission.</p>
<p>Rangi rubbed the back of her neck. “Um, I guess I don’t see why not?”</p>
<p>Lek’s fists shot into the air before he pulled them back down to his sides. “Yes! I can’t wait! We just have to get Uncle Mok off our backs, have Kyoshi kill the Gravedigger, and then we will be on our way to the Southern Air Temple.”</p>
<p>He would have likely been jumping around right now if they were on solid ground. Heading to the Air Temple would be a well needed break while all of the chaos and fall out settled. It would provide Kyoshi an opportunity to formally train in airbending as well.</p>
<p>Rangi yawned and blinked. “You know how to drive, right?”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Lek pulled his shoulders back and pointed a thumb to his chest with pride. “I was the main driver when Jesa and Hark ran this group!” </p>
<p>“Great, then you get the first shift. Catch you at sunrise.” She stood up, looking down at the boy.</p>
<p>“Yeah, go keep Kyoshi warm.” He stuck his tongue out, making a sound like he was going to vomit.</p>
<p>Rangi pushed him lightly on the shoulder. “Eat rocks, Lek.” Before he could get another word in, she vaulted over the saddle’s edge to find the other four sound asleep. </p>
<p>Without a sound, Rangi pulled out her hairpin and untied her topknot. She slid underneath the good blanket that was draped over Kyoshi and curled up next to her. Rangi nuzzled her face into Kyoshi’s shoulder and slowly fell asleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>**********</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s go. We have some planning to do.” Kirima looked at Rangi as she stood up.</p>
<p>Rangi narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean ‘we’?”</p>
<p>“I mean you and I need to go up that hill and stake out for a while to determine a plan on how we are going to breach Governor Te’s palace.” Kirima pointed towards the path that led further up the hill. “Consider it a team bonding exercise for us, sister.”</p>
<p>“You’re right. We do need to make a plan.” The response from Rangi seemed to surprise Kirima a little as the woman narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the agreement. Rangi shrugged and stood up, walking past her. “What?”</p>
<p>Kirima shrugged as well. “I just expected more of a fight is all.” </p>
<p>They both walked up the hill and rocks piles to a flat outcropping that overlooked the entire palace. As they approached the edge, both of the women slowly crouched down and laid on their stomachs, trying to appear as flat as possible. “Have you been to Zigan before?” Rangi asked.</p>
<p>Kirima shook her head. “Not once. Have you, considering you travel with the Avatar?”</p>
<p>“It’s a long story about traveling with the Avatar. But, we were scheduled to visit with Governor Te in about five months' time. They were to discuss information about the rice shortage that the town is facing. That is going to get postponed given some evident reasons.” Rangi snorted to herself at the irony of the situation.</p>
<p>“Rice shortage? That town is far from short on rice. All of those silos you see? They’re filled to the brim and Te sells off the reserves to make profit all for himself.” Kirima seemed to be wanting to argue.</p>
<p>Rangi stayed steadfast at examining the palace while they talked though. “Look, I never said that I believed there was a shortage. I know what the governor is doing. I’ve seen his off-book trades happen first hand while visiting the Beifong’s. I believe in being just and honorable, and integrity is difficult to find among Earth Kingdom politicians.”</p>
<p>“Hm. Maybe you’re more daofei than I thought you were,” Kirima beamed. “What are you seeing?”</p>
<p>“Hold on.” Rangi chose to ignore Kirima’s comment as she examined the area, taking in and memorizing every ounce of detail. Lucky for them, this palace was ancient and had plenty of weak spots. Several houses connected to one another and were arranged to allow four courtyards. There was a sizable pond in one of the courtyards that looked nearly too big for the area it was allowed. Rangi smirked at the trend made in imitation of the Fire Nation Royal Palace.</p>
<p>“We’re looking at a traditional siheyuan design dating back to the Hao line of Earth Kings,” she continued to look at the guard towers and pointed at three lumps of roof on the closest edge. “There’s overlapping fields of view for the guards in each of the high points. We have to assume they’ll be fully manned. So, coming at the best angle, that’s three sentries we’ll have to deal with on the approach.”</p>
<p>“Lek can drop two of them from a distance, but the third would have time to sound the alarm,” Kirima added. “How do you know so much about old Earth Kingdom architecture?”</p>
<p>“In the academy we studied how to attack any kind of fortification,” Rangi said. “Walled fire temples, Earth Kingdom stockades…”</p>
<p>She could feel Kirima staring at her with an uncertain gaze. “Polar ice walls?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Rangi said without hesitation. “Preparedness carries the day. There was even a plan for Ba Sing Se, though I’d pity the troops who carried it out.” Just thinking about that plan made her glad that she was not assigned to an infantry unit. </p>
<p>Kirima finally looked away. “Mok will want to attack the south gate directly. If we time our approach with his, we could assume the sentries posted on the other walls will divert toward him.”</p>
<p>Rangi frowned as she changed her focus to the hard packed dirt field covered with stones and small boulders. “That’s a killing field. A few Earthbenders in Te’s guard could cause massive casualties.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think Mok cares,” Kirima replied. “I don’t know what poison Wai’s been pouring in the ears of his men, but they’ve turned into fanatics. He’s going to breach the walls with sheer numbers.”</p>
<p>Rangi tapped her fingers on the ground as she thought about different approaches. One of her biggest concerns was the daofei on Mok’s side disheveling any strategy the Flying Opera Company made. Given that there were six of them, they could not afford any blood spill or mishaps on their side.</p>
<p>“We have one last option,” Kirima said. “We still don’t know which building the prison cells are in, or under. Capturing the entire palace might be the only way we get enough time to search the person we’re trying to free. So instead of trying to penetrate the compound, we simply take out the watchmen on the south wall, open the gate from the inside, and let Mok stroll right through.”        </p>
<p>“That’s not going to happen,” Kyoshi’s voice broke into their conversation. Rangi was used to how quiet she was from her days as a servant and didn’t react to her arrival.</p>
<p>Kirima, on the other hand, yelped in surprise and launched onto her knees and nearly fell off the outcrop. She breathed deeply as she recovered from the sudden state of panic. “How are you so stealthy on those giant hooves of yours?”</p>
<p>“Servants have to be quiet.” Kyoshi said as she looked both of them over. She looked concerned. “We need to talk.”</p>
<p>Rangi and Kirima glanced over at each other, wondering if the other knew where the conversation was going. “About what?” Rangi asked.</p>
<p>“We can’t let Mok anywhere near the palace,” Kyoshi said. “He’ll kill everyone inside.”</p>
<p>Both her and Kirima finally turned to look at Kyoshi. They needed a break from surveying anyways. “There’s no way we can prevent him from taking it in the long run,” Rangi said. “Do you want to flip to Te’s side and try to fight them off?”</p>
<p>Kyoshi shook her head. “I don’t think slaughtering Mok’s forces is the answer.”</p>
<p>“But if Mok doesn’t launch his assault, then our team will be sitting turtle ducks,” Kirima added to Rangi’s concerns about Kyoshi’s newly presented thoughts. “You’re telling us we need to think of a way to attack the palace with an army, save the lives of everyone inside the palace, keep the army from killing itself, and rescue a prisoner from inside the walls?”</p>
<p>All three of them looked around at each other until Kyoshi nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”</p>
<p>Rangi scoffed and almost wanted to laugh at the request. “We can’t make all sorts of fancy plans when we only have a handful of benders,” Rangi retorted.</p>
<p>Kyoshi grimaced, but stayed unmoved. “What kind of plans would you make if you had the Avatar?”</p>
<p>The question stumped Rangi as she rubbed the back of her neck. She looked at Kirima and noticed the woman was just as perplexed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>**********</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rangi pinched the bridge of her nose and yelled in aggravation. “Everyone, stop!” Her hands clenched tightly into fists at her side as she now glared at Kyoshi. “You’re thinking about it too much. You need to just run and not spend too much time on each step. You keep hesitating. That’s the difference between life and death.”</p>
<p>“You don’t have to be so hard on her,” Wong mumbled.</p>
<p>“No. Kyoshi needs to understand this.” Rangi’s eyes narrowed. “Hesitation is just as much the enemy. It leaves you vulnerable, especially against a more intelligible opponent.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi had yet to manage any successful dust or jet or mist stepping. Everything she and Kirima had planned for the raid revolved around Kyoshi being able to use the skill. “Everyone, leave. Kyoshi and I need to talk.”</p>
<p>The group all sulked and walked away back towards camp. Rangi took deep breaths, trying to calm herself before completely taking it out on Kyoshi.</p>
<p>“Rangi, I’m not a prodigy bender like-,”</p>
<p>“I know.” Rangi stopped her mid sentence. “There were too many people trying to teach you at once.” She ran her hands down her face and thought for a long moment.</p>
<p>There were a few different ways to teach techniques based on how a student learned but trying to teach a brand new technique was proving to be difficult. Refinement and precision were not necessarily Kyoshi’s strongest skill nor was it naturally occurring. There had to be some way to better instruct this.</p>
<p>Then it hit her. “I’ve got it. We know you are capable of being soft in skill. You used to walk around the estate in complete silence. The stepping is just walking silently but with an element below your feet. It’s calm and soft, unlike actual jet propulsion, which is intense and strong. Does that make sense?”</p>
<p>“It does.” Kyoshi thought about it herself. “Let’s try again. I think I can get it tonight.”</p>
<p>It took another two hours until Kyoshi finally started to understand just how much power to expend for dust and jet stepping. It took another hour after that for her to become more consistent with staying in the air. Rangi stood there proudly, watching as Kyoshi slowly became more comfortable with the technique, enough so that she began to pick up the pace into a light jog as she flitted over the solid ground. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>**********</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rangi and Kyoshi bowed deeply to Wong as he sat on a rock, staring intensely at them both. Since Rangi had nothing else to do, she had decided to pick up earthbending forms. They were similar to firebending in some ways so it was easy enough to figure out. The most difficult part was translating the best spots to use fire. Learning these forms would only help her skillset in the end and she figured they would help her better understand how Kyoshi would eventually flow four different bending styles together. </p>
<p>Wong gave a stern nod and they both sank into horse stance. Their eyes stared straight ahead where an opponent would be. In sync, they began to move through the motions. It started with both hands punching forward, with the pointer finger up while the other fingers curled down. Now with fists, they moved their arms just wider than their shoulders.</p>
<p>Rangi and Kyoshi took a deep breath before pivoting to the side and making their first punch with an expressive exhale. They side straddled downward and made another punch before standing up, sliding one foot behind. The other foot stepped ahead so they pivoted and their hands moved so one fist was at the waist while the other was across the chest. </p>
<p>This next part was Rangi’s favorite. They slid their leading foot forward as they thrusted both hands out in front of them. She had done this routine with fire many times over by herself and found that this one sequence created a strong fireball that would be difficult to challenge. After this was Kyoshi’s favorite part as it allowed her to use her strength more than most stances.</p>
<p>They stepped back into a narrow horse stance, before slamming one foot onto the ground as their arms swung across their body as if to sheer the rock below. As their right fists met the sky, they both began to pivot to the right as well. Once more, they picked up their right foot and slammed it to the ground while punching downwards with the fist that was just in the air. </p>
<p>With their left foot as the point, they turned fully and stepped through with the right foot once more. Their right arms raised into a fully extended crane position above their heads. This move would have cracked the earth in front of Kyoshi and would be a power build for Rangi. In a continuous movement, they dropped their right arm to their side and punched out with their left. It was a big movement where Kyoshi’s height advantage seemed to help instead of hinder. </p>
<p>As their right foot finally touched the ground, they punched with their right fist again while moving their left fist back to center. They finished by bringing their feet back in together and bowing to Wong.</p>
<p>Nothing. Rangi looked up to see Wong wiping a tear from the corner of his eye before he started clapping. “Poetry. It was like watching poetry. The chemistry, the movements.”</p>
<p>Rangi turned to Kyoshi. They both had enormous smiles on their faces. “Kyoshi, you did it!” She couldn’t help but hug her in celebration. It was the first time Kyoshi had completed the routine flawlessly.    </p>
<p> </p>
<p>**********</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The night before the raid brought uneasy feelings in both Rangi and Kyoshi. They decided to take a walk away from the group and leave the nervous chatter behind. It felt like their time back at the estate, when Rangi would take walks with Kyoshi through the gardens and courtyards late at night because her friend couldn’t sleep. Their conversations were sometimes serious, but mostly simple and enjoyable.</p>
<p>They would talk about the future and about how Yun was doing in his studies. Rangi would tell Kyoshi about stories passed through the Fire Nation. Kyoshi would tell Rangi about stories she had heard from Kelsang and about who Auntie Mui had yelled at that day. Those nights typically meant Rangi would lose out on some sleep, but it was worth being tired the next day if it meant having those moments with Kyoshi.</p>
<p>“Tell me a story about when you were a child. Something funny, preferably.” Kyoshi interrupted their silent hike.</p>
<p>“Hm.” Rangi had to think way back to when her father was still alive. Those were the years full of fun and laughter. “My father and I used to always go on these travels together when my mother was away for awhile on military duty.”</p>
<p>“Your father’s name was Junsik, right?” Kyoshi asked.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Rangi smiled at the fact that Kyoshi remembered. It had been a while since they had talked about him and she never referred to her father by his name. “We went to our house on Ember Island one time when I was about seven. I was playing in the water when something clamped onto my toes and wouldn’t let go. It scared me and it hurt, of course, so I started screaming and crying.</p>
<p>“My father rushed over, picked me up, and carried me to the shore. And an oyster crab had clamped its claw onto my toes.” She started chuckling. “My father pried it off and the oyster crab decided to pinch his finger and just hold on. He hollered and shook his hand and it just wouldn’t let go. I thought it was the funniest thing at that moment. I laughed so hard watching him flail around, trying to unlatch that thing from his finger.”</p>
<p>Rangi smiled and rubbed her elbow as Kyoshi found amusement in the story. That had been the last trip they made to Ember Island together. And it was one of her last memories with her father. It was nice to think about a happier memory though.</p>
<p>“Where is Ember Island?” Kyoshi asked.</p>
<p>“Just off the coast of the main island of the Fire Nation. It’s a big vacation spot for a lot of noble families.” Rangi said. “Teenagers go there for the parties, older people go for the theatre.”</p>
<p>“Is the theatre any good?” </p>
<p>Rangi shook her head. “No, it’s awful. I’ll gladly take you to Ember Island one day, but I refuse to sit through another Ember Island Players production. My father used to force my mother and I to go every summer and we would groan in agony the entire time.”</p>
<p>There was a smile on Kyoshi’s face and brightness in her eyes. “I always enjoy hearing about these moments in your life.”</p>
<p>They reached a small cliff and sat down on the ledge. Their legs hung off the side as they sat right next to each other. It was there that they sat with each other, thinking about the following night’s mission. </p>
<p>Rangi was not ready. Not because of skill or confidence, but because she could not stop herself from thinking about everything that could go wrong. While the plan was created to increase their chances of success, splitting away from Kyoshi had not proven to be a successful strategy in the past. Her heart began to pound. Lao Ge would keep her safe though. The man was older but he was impressively skilled and a good pairing for Kyoshi. That left Lek paired with Wong and Rangi with Kirima. </p>
<p>“Can you stop making the air so warm?” Kyoshi looked over with a grin.</p>
<p>Rangi hadn’t realized that her overflow of dread and emotion had made her express heat from her body. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. “I’m nervous about tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“You’re nervous? Try being me.” Kyoshi mumbled in slight defeat.</p>
<p>Rangi leaned her head against Kyoshi’s shoulder and Kyoshi rested her head on Rangi’s, carefully avoiding the hairpin. “Kyoshi, this has to be the dumbest, most irresponsible and dangerous thing I have ever done. If I get caught, I wouldn’t be able to show my face to the world anymore. I’d be disgraced and without honor for the rest of my life.”</p>
<p>A deep sigh came from Kyoshi. “I’m sorry I have dragged you so far down with me,” she said. “We won’t get caught though. And if we do, well, I’m the Avatar. I’ll do something about it.”</p>
<p>The response made Rangi snort. “That sounded confident.”</p>
<p>There was a pause for thought. “I’m nervous,” Kyoshi said. “What if I forget everything? What if I freeze up?”</p>
<p>“Trust your training. For the time we had, you have picked up a lot and from, what I’m embarrassed to say, relatively decent teachers.” Rangi groaned internally at the admission. </p>
<p>“Oh, I’m telling Kirima you said that!” Kyoshi nearly jumped to her feet to run back to the camp.</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes went wide as she grabbed at Kyoshi to keep her anchored. “No! Don’t you dare! I don’t need her teasing me more than she already does.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi laughed. “I won’t, I promise. But, I’m not going to let you forget.”</p>
<p>The promise made Rangi groan. “Somehow it’s even worse when it comes from you.”</p>
<p>A gentle hand touched her lower back. Kyoshi’s fingers gently traced absentminded patterns along the fabric of her tunic. “Thank you, Rangi. For everything.”</p>
<p>Rangi blushed as she looked down at her feet. The sentiment was appreciated but Kyoshi would never have to thank her for anything. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her already.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. The Face of Tradition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Don't worry, all is alive and well! I know this is two days past the usual posting date. It's been a rough week in the creator world for me. Big brain, no thoughts, zero brain cell.</p><p>The time has come for the chaos to begin. We're really in it now.</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The time had come. The moon was full and bursting with light and it spilled over the fields surrounding Te’s palace. Visibility would help Mok’s men in the raid but it made the plans of the Flying Opera Company more difficult.</p><p>They carefully picked their way down the rocky hillside. “Does everyone know the plan?” Rangi said. </p><p>It was a formality. She had spent the last week drilling each step into the group until they nearly kicked her out of the camp. The only person who didn’t seem to mind was Kyoshi, probably because she knew of the discipline and preparedness of Fire Nation citizens. It no longer phased her on how particular Rangi could be about plans.</p><p>The first step of their operation was to visit Mok to ensure that he would allow them to move as they pleased. As long as they did not ignite his temper or vanity, then they would be in the clear. One prisoner, unharmed, returned. </p><p>As they approached the southern end of the palace, Rangi counted at least five hundred daofei preparing for battle, sharpening their swords and warming up. She looked back at Te’s palace and noticed that no one seemed alarmed. There were no sounds of sentries blowing warning calls to the other towers. There was no small army lining up outside the gates. Was Governor Te that oblivious to his surroundings?</p><p>They silently walked past a large group of bare-chested men arranged in neat rows, deep in horse stance, chanting gibberish in unison. Rangi couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. These men were likely non-benders attempting to purify themselves like they were shrines before the battle. Her suspicions were soon confirmed after Kyoshi asked who this group was.</p><p>“Those are members of the Kang Shen sect,” Kirima said. “They’re non-benders who believe that performing secret purification ceremonies will male them immune to the elements. Mok must have recruited a bunch to serve as his front line.”</p><p>“That’s madness!” Kyoshi said. “If they charge straight into a formation of Earthbenders, they’re going to be slaughtered!” </p><p>It was an awful plan, but Rangi had to admire Mok’s attempt at strategy. He could easily sacrifice a few hundred men out the gate while his more skilled mercenaries made their way to the gates of the palace. The only hitch in that plan is that he underestimated just how much manpower was behind the palace walls. It would only take a few handfuls of skilled Earthbenders to wipe out that entire group with a flick of the wrist.</p><p>“It’s amazing what the mind can be led to believe,” Lao Ge said.</p><p>“Especially if you’re desperate,” Lek muttered. “They say that people turn to the Kang Shen sect after seeing a friend or loved one killed by a bender. Be made to feel powerless that way, and you’ll do anything that gives you courage.”</p><p>Rangi nearly started laughing as they approached Mok. He had an ornate wooden desk placed in the middle of the field. It served absolutely no purpose and it showed just how little anyone else here knew about battle operations. He sat behind the desk, leaned back in his chair with his fingers tented, watching them approach. Wai stood next to him, a shadow of a secretary.</p><p>“My beloved associates,” Mok said after they bowed. “Come closer.”</p><p>Rangi glanced around. They were all nervous as they shuffled forward. This was the moment of truth to determine how well their plan was going to stick.</p><p>“Closer still,” Mok said, motioning them closer. They crowded around him. There was a feeling of unease among them all.</p><p>“I didn’t get a chance to bid you farewell in Hujiang,” Mok said. “You missed the excitement.” He stared pointedly at Rangi and Kyoshi. There was no evidence they were involved other than potential hearsay. It didn’t take a genius to realize that they were the pieces that didn’t fit the puzzle though.</p><p>“A great beast came on the morning you left,” he continued. “It killed several of my best men. What do the two of you have to say about that?”</p><p>Wai was already drawing his knife as Lek answered before anyone else could. Rangi cursed to herself, wondering why Lek never learned the lesson of keeping his mouth shut. Both her and Kyoshi could have easily dealt with Mok. “We don’t know anything about that, Uncle. Kyoshi and Rangi aren’t to blame.”</p><p>Wai lunged, but he wasn’t fast enough. Kyoshi had already reached out and grabbed the man’s knife hand and pinned his wrist securely to the desk. Her other hand drew one of her fans and she smashed it like a hammer against Wai’s fingers, breaking them on impact.</p><p>Rangi’s eyes went wide as the knife Wai was holding clattered to the ground. Everyone was shocked in silence, including Wai. Rangi slowly closed her eyes, waiting for Mok to completely lose his temper and ruin everything they had charted out.</p><p>“Forgive me, Uncles,” Kyoshi said with softness and grace in her voice. “I saw a poisonous insect and thought to save your lives.” </p><p>Rangi opened her eyes again to see Wai clutch his broken hand and bare his teeth at Kyoshi. If he dared to touch her, the man would find a whole new level of viciousness from Rangi. More than his hand would be broken if she got a hold of him.</p><p>Kyoshi remained calm. “But if Uncle Wai believes my actions inappropriate, he can always teach me the meaning of discipline on the lei tai, after our mission is over.”</p><p>Mok leaned back in his chair again and howled with laughter. ‘So much progress in only a few weeks! This is the influence I have on people. Come, Kyoshi. Since your brothers and sisters have had their tongues stolen by a spirit, tell me what plans you’ve come up with since we last saw each other.”</p><p>It was impressive that she carried on as if nothing had happened. It was as if she had not just assaulted one of the men that determined the fates tonight. Rangi had never seen this side of Kyoshi. It was reassuring to know that she could walk a fine line of strong justice and peace. </p><p>“We believe the prison where your - our - sworn brother is being held is below the northeast courtyard. Assuming it was constructed at the same time as the oldest part of the palace, we should be able to defeat the security.”</p><p>Mok turned his head to the side at her pause. “But?”</p><p>“Provided we have enough time. If Te’s guards choose to defend the prison, our group alone may never be able to spring our man. There’s also a chance that if we show our hand too early, they realize what we’re doing and preemptively kill the hostage.”</p><p>Mok stroked his chin like a wise man. “Then it’s as I anticipated. We’ll need a direct attack in concert with your clandestine efforts.” He reached inside the desk and pulled out two sticks of timing incense. Mok plucked Wai’s knife from off the ground and cut the sticks to the same length before handing them to Rangi. “If you would, my lovely.”</p><p>The last time she had used timing incense was back in training during live-fire training in Academy. This time held more consequences. She lit both tips with one finger and handed one back to Mok.</p><p>“Get to your positions, we attack in an hour,” he said before dismissing them. </p><p>The Flying Opera Company bowed and left as fast as they could. They were cleared to proceed with their plan of attack, which thankfully Mok had not asked about. Rangi cradled the timing incense, protecting it from any wind or excess exposure. The last thing they needed was for it to accelerate the schedule.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Lek, Kirima, and Wong hustled them back to camp. “What’s the rush?” Rangi asked, still covering the dwindling stick of incense while trying to navigate the rocky hillside once more. “There’s no reason to be hasty at this point.” She and Kyoshi were already wearing their armor.</p><p>“We have to put on our faces,” Kirima said with urgency. She rummaged around her limited belongings. “It’s tradition before a job.”</p><p>They were all frantically searching through their bags. Lek failed to find what he was looking for and groaned. “I forgot we left Chameleon Bay in a hurry. I’m out. Does anyone else have some makeup they can spare?”</p><p>Kyoshi spoke up. “I… do? I think there was some in my mother’s trunk, along with the fans?” Rangi’s glance snapped towards Kyoshi in question of what was happening. Kyoshi only shrugged back at her. </p><p>Wong had already helped himself to Kyoshi’s rucksack until he found the large kit of makeup. “It would be a disgrace for an opera troupe to perform barefaced. And stupid for thieves not to hide their identities.”</p><p>Rangi was still confused about what exactly was going on. She looked down at her hands and checked on the timing incense. There was a moment of solace, looking at the dim ember. Kyoshi’s voice came in over her thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>“Wait a second, there’s nothing in here but red and white,” she said.</p><p>“Those are our colors,” Wong said as he dipped his thumb in the white paste and began to apply the paint to Kyoshi’s cheeks. Rangi observed the process. “White symbolizes treachery, a sinister nature, suspicion of others, and the willingness to visit evil deeds upon them.”</p><p>Rangi couldn’t help but snort at the explanation of the colors. Wong shot her a look of seriousness. “But,” he continued, now scooping a small amount of red onto his forefinger. “Red symbolizes honor. Loyalty. Heroism. This is the face that we show our sworn brothers and sisters. The red is the trust we have for each other, buried in the field of white but always showing through in our gaze.”</p><p>That explanation made Rangi swallow her tongue. Red was the color of her entire world. She repeated the words to herself. Honor. Loyalty. Heroism. Trust. Four things that had been instilled into her character since the day she was born. To much of her dismay, tonight she was part of an army that consisted of only five other members. And she was going to do whatever it took to be successful in their mission.</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Wong finished Kyoshi’s makeup and stepped back to admire his handiwork. He spoke softly to Kyoshi as Kirima approached with a golden headdress in her hands. “Lean down. You’re wearing your mother’s face, so you should wear her crown as well.”</p><p>Kyoshi lowered her head so that Kirima could place the band around it before rising back to her full height. “How do I look?” she asked.</p><p>Rangi couldn’t help but stare. Kyoshi looked brave and terrifying and beautiful. She looked like someone that would charge into any challenge head-on. It was in that face that Avatar Kyoshi was born and it was powerful. Rangi would have been lying if she didn’t admit that for the first time ever she felt intimidated by Kyoshi. </p><p>“I’m not thrilled you’re wearing daofei colors,” Rangi said, biting her lip as she smiled. The new look had her a little speechless. “But you look beautiful.”</p><p>“You look terrifying,” Lek added.</p><p>Kyoshi nodded and smiled with a newfound confidence. “Then it’s perfect.”</p><p>As Rangi was admiring Kyoshi, Kirima walked past with the makeup in hand. “Come on. You’re next.”</p><p>Lek trotted over to them. “I wanted to do her makeup!”</p><p>“No,” Kirima spoke through her teeth at a volume just low enough that Kyoshi wouldn’t hear. “It’s her first mission and we are partnered the whole time. We need to briefly walk through the plan.”</p><p>The boy narrowed his eyes. “Fine, but you’re just making bad excuses now.”</p><p>Kirima glared at him before she and Rangi sat on the ground, plenty out of earshot from the group. “Look, you have to wear the makeup.”</p><p>“I know. It’s not my favorite, but after seeing the makeup on Kyoshi, I understand.” Rangi said with a faint smile of acknowledgment.</p><p>Kirima’s eyes lit up and for the first time ever, the woman looked at her with gratitude. “Do you have a design in mind?”</p><p>Rangi thought for a moment. “There is a river spirit in the village of Jang Hui. She watches over and protects the town in times of need. Her face is depicted with red markings, like Kyoshi’s but more.”</p><p>“Draw them in the dirt and I will copy it,” Kirima said.</p><p>Rangi did as Kirima asked before closing eyes as the process began. Kirima made quick work of it, obviously less gentle than Wong had been with Kyoshi. “Why this river spirit? Do you have an attachment to the place or just enjoy the story?”</p><p>It was difficult to not move her face in response to the question. “Jang Hui is where my father was from.”</p><p>“I see. Was he also in the Army?” </p><p>“Navy, actually. He retired when I was born though.” Rangi exhaled.</p><p>“I’m sorry for your loss. Is your mother still alive?” Kirima asked. It was strange to suddenly be receiving all of these personal questions.</p><p>Rangi squinted as Kirima rubbed some of the makeup under her nose. “She is. She is back in Yokoya, with Jianzhu.”</p><p>Kirima sighed. “I hope she is strong enough to take him on if needed. Surely he must be furious after losing the Avatar.”</p><p>“My biggest fear is that I left her behind and something bad is going to happen. As you already know, Jianzhu can—“</p><p>“Be merciless? Yes. We all know.” Kirima’s voice deepened with a distant resentment.  “Let’s not focus on any of that tonight. It’s all getting our target and making sure both he and Kyoshi get out unharmed… and I am done.”</p><p>Rangi opened her eyes and gazed into the small piece of mirrored glass Kyoshi had looked into earlier. She saw the designs on her face and now understood more of why they did this. There was a difference in how she felt as if she had taken on a new persona.</p><p>“One last thing. Thanks for not fighting too hard on keeping Kyoshi from staying with us. If this goes the way we want it to, we should no longer be in debt to Mok,” Kirima said, her eyebrows furrowed. Her tone had turned more serious compared to usual. “Also, I know we don’t agree on everything and that you don’t care for the daofei, but I’m trusting you with my life tonight, and I know you are trusting me with yours. Sisters?”</p><p>Kirima held out her hand, offering a handshake. Rangi looked down and reached out as well. They grabbed each other's forearms and held them for a moment before grinning at each other. Over the past month together, Rangi and Kirima had spent more than enough time together discussing strengths, weaknesses, and plans for the group. She had come to respect the woman’s knowledge and was relieved when she opted for her and Rangi to be partners during tonight’s raid.  </p><p>“Sisters,” Rangi replied.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. The Raid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The raid on Governor Te's palace.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>NO WORDS, ONLY UPDATE!!!</p>
<p>Okay, a few words. Thank you all for sticking around and waiting. It has been a while since updating RoR and it has been bugging me for quite a while. Luckily, I have been freed of my writer's block and have been typing like crazy lately so there are more updates quickly following this one. </p>
<p>As always, enjoy and thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They crept to the staging point, a small promontory a few hundred feet from the walls of the palace. Rangi stared intently at her hands, slowing her breath as the timing incense came to its final moments. Everyone huddled around her, silent and waiting. As the incense crumbled, Rangi looked up at the group. “Go.”</p>
<p>As Lek began to dust-step to the top of a boulder, Rangi, Kirima, and Wong all took off towards the palace. They silently moved across the land between the hideout and the Te’s palace. There was no more time to think about how this went against everything she stood for. They were all in the thick of now and that meant her focus went fully towards the mission at hand.</p>
<p>The three of them made it to the palace in no time. With quick steps, Rangi followed behind Kirima as they sliced through the air. The skill had easily become Rangi’s favorite and she would take every opportunity she could to use it now. When the time came to return to the Fire Nation, she made a note to teach the newly discovered skill to the Royal Family. </p>
<p>Once they reached the top of the palace guard wall, they stepped down onto the stone wall walk. One of Lek’s targets was still standing and spotted them. “Halt!” It was within seconds that a loud thump was heard and the guard slumped over, no longer moving. Lek had now taken out all of the guards for that specific tower. </p>
<p>“Spirits,” Kirima whispered under her breath. Rangi glanced towards her and noticed that she was looking intently over the palace wall. She turned to look as well and saw the deep trench that was quickly being carved into the earth. “The girl is a brute. Look at that!”</p>
<p>Rangi continued to watch for only a few seconds more, impressed more than ever by Kyoshi’s strength. She was unsure there would ever be a day where it didn’t make Rangi raise her eyebrows in amazement. In a month, she had become tremendously more skilled than before. The control Kyoshi was beginning to gain made Rangi proud. Now wasn’t the time to stop and admire though. She began to jog down the walkway. “We need to keep moving. This whole plan relies on perfect timing. Let’s go!”</p>
<p>Kirima and Wong followed suit. Two more guards began to approach them. Wong snapped two chunks of stone from the edge of the battlement and sent it crashing into the guards before they had a chance to set up for a fight. They tumbled over the ledge and went crashing to the ground below.</p>
<p>They approached the eastern roof of the palace and stepped through the air, landing quietly on the shingles. A few moments later, Kyoshi and Lao Ge touched down right next to them on the roof.</p>
<p>“Right on time,” Kirima said with a grin.</p>
<p>“Are the guards crowded in the southern wall?” Kyoshi asked. The trench she had carved created a standoff between Te’s guards and the daofei in hopes that they would stay in place long enough for them to retrieve their target.</p>
<p>“Enough of them,” Rangi said. “You have to move quickly though.”</p>
<p>This rally point left them temporarily exposed, but it had been chosen for a reason. It lay right above the overlarge, over-deep turtle duck pond. And they had a clear sight of the glowing full moon above.</p>
<p>The rest of them stood back and watched as Kirima and Kyoshi relaxed into their stances and began to push and pull the water of the pond. As Waterbenders, the two of them would be greatly enhanced by the full moon, like tides rising in a bay. </p>
<p>Rangi glanced down at the pond as the sleeping turtle ducks quacked awake in panic and fled as the surface of the water bulged upward. With her own strength, Kyoshi lifted the blob of liquid higher and higher. Where it threatened to protrude too far and spill, Kirima gently nudged it back into place with skill and precision. </p>
<p>Something flew past Rangi and she looked over to see Kyoshi take a glancing from an arrow. A few guardsmen poured out of the opposite end of the courtyard. “We’ll cover you!” Rangi shouted. “Go!” Everyone who couldn’t waterbend leaped off the roof. </p>
<p>The firebender landed on the walkway and punched a fireball towards the nearest guard that had come up from one of the tower stairs. He snapped a piece of stone from the palace wall and made a shield, blocking her flame before sending the stone flying at her. Rangi dodged it with a side step and sent another fireball towards him. They exchanged throws as they carefully approached each other. </p>
<p>Once they were in physical striking distance, the guard punched at her and she grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm. He groaned in pain but struck out with his free arm. Rangi caught him by the wrist again just before his intended hit caught her jaw. She leaned back and high kicked, slamming her foot into the man’s sternum. On the impact, she yanked on his arms and disjointed his arms at the elbow. </p>
<p>He collapsed from her hold in howling pain. Rangi stepped over his body before taking a ready stance as two more guards approached. They began to send rocks flying at her. Rangi dodged them the best she could in the light of the full moon, only able to explode any larger pieces of earth with blasts of fire.</p>
<p>With a deep breath, she shot out two quick punches of fire. She followed with a spinning kick, creating a large whip of fire that sent the two guards careening over the edge of the walkway. When the blaze cleared, Lek was standing on the other side of where the guards had been, grinning. He gave a little clap. “Flameo, hotwoman. You might be a daofei after all.”</p>
<p>Rangi rolled her eyes. “It’s my job to protect the Avatar.”</p>
<p>Lek’s attention turned from her and over to the eastern tower. He placed a pebble in his slingshot before sending it flying, sending it into the hip of a spearman that had snuck up on Kyoshi. The man fell off the roof with a scream. A smug grin fell across Lek’s face and he looked back to Rangi. “Apparently it’s my job now, too.”</p>
<p>And for that she was thankful. There was no way she could keep Kyoshi safe by herself on missions of this proportion. It had taken a while but tonight was proving that the trust she put in these specific daofei had been a sound decision. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wong, Lek, Lao Ge, and Rangi hurried down the steps of the service tunnels. Their objective was underground. They came to a fork and continued towards the right. The throne room would be towards the left and they all agreed on the assumption that the cells would be further away from the main rooms of the palace.</p>
<p>They reached a dead end, blocked by a locked metal door. Rangi shook it before looking at the other three. “We need Kirima after all.”</p>
<p>Lao Ge nodded. “I will go meet them by the split and send Kirima this way.” He took off without another word.</p>
<p>Within a few minutes, the waterbender came trotting up to them and began to make quick work on the lock. Kirima morphed a small blob of water into a straight line before sending it shooting into the mechanism. She lifted her wrists with speed and the pins in the lock were forced upwards. The door loosened as the lock released and Rangi pushed it open.</p>
<p>She took a few cautious steps forward, her fists emitting heat, ready to fight. There was no one in the cell room. “All clear.”</p>
<p>Wong and Kirima followed her while Lek stayed at the door and kept watch of the tunnel. They walked past all the empty barred cells until they reached another solid metal door at the end of the block. Whoever this man was, it seemed Te and other officials found it necessary to keep him in solitary confinement. Kirima worked her skill again and they opened the door. All three of them stood there, looking into the dimly lit room. </p>
<p>There was a man in front of them sitting on the ground. “The Flying Opera Company. It’s been a while since I’ve seen your painted faces.”</p>
<p>“We were sent to free you,” Rangi said. “Before we get you out, we need you to put this over your head and we need to bind your wrists. It’s part of the deal, no questions.” She tossed a burlap sack into the cell. </p>
<p>The prisoner chuckled. “I’ll oblige to your request if it means getting out of here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rangi stood with her arms crossed, waiting and worried for the last of the group to arrive back at the meeting point. It was taking Kyoshi and Lao Ge longer than expected. The feeling of dread subsided though when she saw them finally come into view. </p>
<p>She began to bounce with excitement. “We did it!” She ran over and embraced Kyoshi. “I can’t believe we did it! You bent like an-” She stopped herself from saying “Avatar” in the presence of a stranger. “Like a master of old!” Kyoshi squeezed her back, both of them relieved that they made it through the mission. They let go of each other and began walking towards the others, Rangi keeping her arm wrapped around the small of Kyoshi’s back. </p>
<p>“Let’s go make our delivery,” Wong said as they approached. He picked up the prisoner and threw him over his shoulders. “Sorry for the rough treatment, brother. It won’t be too long before you’re breathing free air.”</p>
<p>“It’s no problem at all,” the hooded man said politely.</p>
<p>Rangi looked back over at Kyoshi and noticed that she didn’t look excited about their success. She looked haunted and unsure. It made Rangi wonder what happened while Kyoshi and Lao Ge were off on their own. That question would have to be asked later. For now, Rangi removed her arm from around Kyoshi’s waist as the Flying Opera Company made their way to the daofei camp. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The daofei nearly attacked as they approached the southern camp.</p>
<p>“We have your man!” Kirima shouted. Wong dumped the prisoner to his feet. With the hood on, he couldn’t see how his rescuers crowded behind him like a human shield.</p>
<p>Mok strode up to them, apoplectic. “What do you think you were doing?! We discussed no such plan!”</p>
<p>Kirima held her hands up. “We got him out of the prison,” she said, reminding him again that the mission had technically been accomplished. “The trench was a necessary last-minute improvisation.”</p>
<p>Rangi rolled her shoulders back a little, ready to defend Kirima if needed. </p>
<p>“I should flay your skins and put them under my saddle!” Mok screamed. Wai stood behind him, a little distant from the group. A subtle smirk fell across Rangi’s face as she remembered how Kyoshi had mauled the man’s hand earlier. </p>
<p>“Mok, is that you?” the prisoner asked, tilting his ear toward the noise. “If so, stop haranguing my saviors and get this bag off my head.”</p>
<p>Wong untied his hood while Kirima sliced the ropes off his wrists with a small blade of water. Rangi had recommended the bindings as a precaution since they didn’t want a confused captive resisting his own rescuers. The burlap mask fell off his head to reveal a pale, handsome face under shaggy dark hair.</p>
<p>“Big brother,” Mok said. The daofei leader’s mannerisms suddenly took on a reverential, submissive quality. “I can’t believe it’s you. After so long!”</p>
<p>“Come here,” the prisoner said, opening his arms wide. The two men embraced and pounded each other’s back. </p>
<p>“I know, brother,” Mok sobbed.</p>
<p>“Eight years,” the man repeated, squeezing harder. “Eight years! It took you eight stinking years to rescue me?”</p>
<p>Mok gasped, unable to breathe. “I’m sorry, brother! He choked out with the air he had left. “We tried our best!”</p>
<p>“Your best?!” his elder brother screamed in his ear. “Your best took nearly a decade! What’s your second-best? Waiting for my prison to collapse from rust?”</p>
<p>Judging by Mok’s squeals of pain, prison hadn’t rendered the man physically weak. He tossed Mok aside and surveyed the daofei. The surviving Kang Shen followers took a knee and lowered their heads, while the rank and file stood at attention. Rangi eyed them all and quickly realized that the prisoner they released ranked above Mok in their hierarchy. And from the silence that took over the crowd, it felt as if there was something worse at foot. </p>
<p>As if Kyoshi felt the same way, she spoke up. “Uncles, if the debt of the Flying Opera Company is repaid, we should be on our way.” She looked from the newly freed man to the rest of her companions. The look on her face screamed that they needed to leave.</p>
<p>“Repaid?” the rescued man said. He beamed at them, not with the fake smiles of Mok, but with genuine warmth in his heart. “My friends, you have done more than repay a debt. You have made a new future possible. Furthermore, you shall have the friendship and sworn brotherhood of Xu Ping An. You must stay and celebrate with us!”</p>
<p>It took every thread of muscle in Rangi’s body to keep her jaw from dropping. This was a man that Jianzhu killed many years ago and yet, he was standing right in front of them. Her eyes darted around to Kirima, who looked paled in shock. Wong remained stoic and Lek a bit confused.</p>
<p>Before any of them could decline, he turned to address his troops. “Brothers!” he announced, his pleasant voice ringing through the camp. “For many years you’ve kept the faith. You are true Followers of the Code! I would die happily this very instant, knowing that there is still honor and loyalty in this world!”</p>
<p>The assembled daofei roared and shook their weapons. The sun began to rise dramatically behind Xu, as if he were favored by the spirits themselves. Rangi looked down at her feet and cursed to herself.</p>
<p>“But I think we’ve suffered enough losses, don’t you?” Xu continued. “Five thousand. Five thousand of our compatriots snuffed out like vermin. I haven’t forgotten them, not over the eight years I spent rotting in an abider prison. I haven’t forgotten them! Have you?”</p>
<p>Over the frenzied screams of the daofei, Xu raised his arms to greet the morning light. “I say there’s a price to be paid! A debt that is owed! And collection starts today!”</p>
<p>Rangi could throttle the entirety of the Flying Opera Company, including Kyoshi. But she remembered who agreed to Mok’s plan at the end of the day and cursed to herself again for not seeing the purpose of this to the fullest. They had all become so distracted by small matters when the real danger that threatened the kingdom loomed within reach. At this moment, she was torn between killing the man in front of them or grabbing Kyoshi and running to the closest official of the Earth Kingdom for help. </p>
<p>“Now!” Xu said with theatrical casualness. “Where are my colors? I feel terribly naked without them.”</p>
<p>Mok hurried over and handed him a piece of fabric. In unison, the daofei reached into pockets and satchels or lifted their shirts to reveal lengths of cloth tied around their waists. They freed the wrapping from wherever they’d hid them and fastened them around their necks. </p>
<p>The sun rose fully, letting them all see the hues that adorned the bodies of every outlaw present. The moon peach blossoms had been a ruse, a cover story to avoid detection. The Autumn Bloom was a temporary name for an old organization. A behemoth had risen from the depths of the earth to feed once more. </p>
<p>“Much better,” Xu said as he patted the bright yellow scarf knotted around his neck. “I was getting a bit chilly there.”</p>
<p>Rangi looked down at the ground once more and closed her eyes in horror at their mistake. Kirima reached out and tightly gripped her hand at the underside of Rangi’s upper arm. She leaned in and spoke under her breath. “We need to leave. Now.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. The Challenge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And here's another update!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“We have to do something!” Rangi yelled. “This is our fault!”</p>
<p>“It might be our fault, but it’s definitely not our problem,” Kirima muttered as she hastily packed her portion of their camp. She shook her head. “It’s not our problem.” She repeated it like a mantra, an assurance to convince herself that it truly wasn’t their problem.</p>
<p>“I don’t understand,” Lek said. “Who is this Xu Ping An guy? Who are the Yellow Necks? I thought we were dealing with the Autumn Bloom.” He stood in one spot, watching Kirima move about in a hurry. </p>
<p>“The Yellow Necks are business that we don’t want any part of,” Wong responded. He rolled up the sleeping blankets with tight, nervous hand motions. “They’re not in this life for money or freedom. They take glee in pillage and destruction. They’re wanton killers. And Xu Ping An is their brain, heart, and soul.”</p>
<p>Rangi folded her arms and glanced over at Kyoshi, who was simply staring straight ahead and listening. She could almost hear the gears turning in the girl’s head as she watched her think. Lao Ge leaned against a large rock, watching them all in amusement. The three other daofei continued their conversation.</p>
<p>“He was a bloodthirsty madman before he spent the last eight years locked up and dreaming about revenge,” Kirima stated as she continued to shake her head in disbelief. She stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. “We heard the stories. He used to call himself the General of Pandimu and claimed its residents were beholden to him for the protection he provided.”</p>
<p>Confusion crossed Lek’s face as he scratched his head. “Where’s Pandimu?”</p>
<p>“Nowhere!” Kirima shouted and threw her arms in the air. “It’s the name for the world he made up himself! My point is he’s unhinged!” She went back to her task of packing the camp.</p>
<p>Rangi rubbed her face. “I don’t know how he’s alive.” She began to pace circles around the remnants of the campfire. “I’ve read copies of reports sent to the Earth King by Jianzhu himself. Xu was listed among the dead at the Battle of Zhulu Pass. This doesn’t make sense!”</p>
<p>Kirima glanced at Rangi but moved her attention back to Kyoshi. “Look, they’re - what? - a couple hundred strong now, at the most? Fewer, since the Kang Shen decided to dine on rocks? They’re not an army like they were in the past. We can simply wait until the governors summon a militia force to deal with them. I bet Te is the one who rides out to meet him.”</p>
<p>The statement made Rangi scoff in disbelief. She stopped and also turned towards Kyoshi. There was no way to change Kirima’s mind but maybe she could influence Kyoshi on the next decision to be made. “Xu first started out with smaller numbers than he has now. If more Yellow Necks come out of hiding and rally to his banner, we’re back to the dark days after Kuruk died.”</p>
<p>“We’re not back to anything!” Kirima shouted once more, this time in Rangi’s direction. “Xu is the abiders’ problem! As far as we’re concerned, he’s a finished job! You don’t go back to a job you’ve already finished!”</p>
<p>Lao Ge came walking into the mix and both Rangi and Kirima glared at him for interrupting their personal spat. “Years ago, I passed through a town caught in the wake of the Yellow Necks,” he said, reminiscing calmly like it was of no big deal. “I saw what happened to the residents. They’d been…” he twisted his mouth and bob his head a little as if deciding on the appropriate words. “Stacked.” He made a layering motion with his hands, alternating one on top of the other.</p>
<p>Kirima shook her head, unswayed. “We run away from trouble. Not toward it. That’s our policy. It served us well in Chameleon Bay, it helped us survive in Hujiang, and it’ll pay off here.”</p>
<p>“What do you think we should do, Kyoshi?” Lao Ge asked. “Given your newfound taste for making decisions of life and death?”</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes narrowed, curious as to why the old man’s words were filled with petulance. They all looked at Kyoshi now, staring her down in silence and waiting for her response. She was the Avatar, after all, which meant she was the one who made the final call.</p>
<p>Kyoshi clenched her jaw a little before answering. “We wait and see what happens. But we can wait from a higher elevation. Load up Pengpeng.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s hands formed into fists, irritated once more by the use of neutral jing. She glanced over at Kirima, the opposing voice to her in the matter, and they both shared a worried look with one another.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rangi kept a grip on the edge of Pengpeng’s saddle as she looked over, staring down at the ground below. They flew over the Yellow Necks slowly, encapsulated by Kirima’s water bent cloud of vapor. There was just enough thinning in the vapor that Rangi could vaguely make out a column of men slowly drifting away from Te’s palace. </p>
<p>“I hope they’re heading toward a militia outpost,” Lek said, still clinging to some ember of hate for the law. “Then we could see a good dustup from here.” He gently guided Pengpeng along.</p>
<p>“They’ve stopped by a rice field,” Rangi said. “Maybe they’re trying to pick it? The second harvest wouldn’t be ready though.” She rolled her eyes, realizing that the farming knowledge of Yokoya had rubbed off on her. They all watched as the Yellow necks made their way through high stalks of rice, parting and trampling the plants. Rangi’s eyes moved ahead to try and find whatever they were heading towards. There was a little house that likely was the home of a tenant farmer and their family.</p>
<p>As if Kyoshi noticed at the same time, her breathing hitched. “I made a mistake. We have to get down there. Now.”</p>
<p>Kirima made a choking, indignant noise. “What, exactly, are we going to do?”</p>
<p>The Yellow Necks were nearly across the field by now. “I don’t know!” Kyoshi yelled. “But I can’t stay up here and watch anymore! Drop me off and fly away if you have to!” Rangi grabbed Kyoshi’s arm, scared that she might frantically leap from the bison in hopes to make it quicker to the ground.</p>
<p>A scream came from the house. They all paused and looked in that direction. Kirima shook her head. “No. If you go, we go.” She flicked the cap of her water skin open and pulled the cloud vapor inside, condensing it into ammunition.</p>
<p>Lek groaned but brought Pengpeng around in a tight turn, descending as fast as it was safe to. The others gripped the edges of the saddle tighter and hung on for dear life.</p>
<p>Rangi looked over at Kirima. “Thank you,” she shouted into the wind. “You’re true companions of the Avatar.”</p>
<p>“What good is that if we’re dead?” Kirima yelled back. Rangi wasn’t going to point it out, but she could have sworn she saw a slight shade of blushing through the annoyance. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They all sprinted towards a barn, Rangi making extra haste to stay by Kyoshi’s side the entire trek. Considering the setup in Hujiang, the choice of the building made sense for the size of the audience they would be hosting. Rangi just hoped they weren’t too late and that no innocent citizens were harmed too much by the time they could intervene.</p>
<p>Daofei that were just outside the door all stepped back, ready to defend the area, but they were just as quickly at ease when they saw who approached. As far as the other daofei knew, the six people in white and red faces were honored guests of their leader. They filed in behind Kyoshi as she pushed her way easily through the crowd. She was able to see over the heads of the crowd and spot exactly where Xu was located.</p>
<p>The crowd broke way to an opening where the leader of the Yellow Necks sat on a bench, reading a book in peace as his followers gave onlook to his next move. Rangi looked towards the back wall of the barn and saw Mok and Wai standing over a woman and her young son. They were cowering and sobbing, blood staining their faces and simple farmers’ garb. Rangi could have struck right then out of the fury that was building inside her. It only grew worse as she followed Kyoshi’s gaze towards the boy’s father. </p>
<p>He was tied up and hung by his wrists over the rafters with a long rope, several men holding on to the other end so they could raise and lower him at Xu’s command. Underneath the man was a cauldron of boiling water over a well-stoked fire that burned furiously. The farmer’s big toes dangled into the scolding liquid and the whole cauldron was big enough that if Xu’s men dropped the man, he would be completely submerged. He screamed intermittently through the gag that the daofei had shoved into his mouth. </p>
<p>Without warning, Kyoshi ran up and kicked the heavy cauldron over, spilling water in the direction of the daofei holding the rope. They let go and Kyoshi caught the man in her arms. As she laid the twitching man gently on the ground away from the fire, there was a unified hissing of swords being drawn from their scabbards. Rangi adjusted her stance and prepared herself for a fight. Kirima turned and faced the other direction, both of them now covering each other’s backs. Rangi’s eyes and attention never left Kyoshi though.</p>
<p>“You spilled my tea,” Xu said without so much as a flinch.</p>
<p>Rangi’s heart began to race, knowing that this was a conversation Kyoshi would have to face alone, without help or input from the rest of them. “We need to move closer to her,” she muttered under her breath. Kirima agreed and they began to make their way across the opening in the crowd to Kyoshi.</p>
<p>“Xu!” Kyoshi shouted. “Stop this! Let them go!” Rangi and the Flying Opera Company were now next to their Avatar, ready for whatever came next.</p>
<p>The daofei leader snapped his book shut and finally looked up at them, staring mostly at Kyoshi. “First off, it’s Uncle Xu to you,” he started. “And second, this man is an abider. He worked for those who imprisoned me. He grew their grain and took their coin, which makes him another weight on the scales I must balance. If you can’t handle this, you’re not going to like what I do to the town of Zigan.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi’s fists tightened and her stature solidified. “You don’t get Zigan. You don’t get any town in the Earth Kingdom, nor this farmhouse for that matter. You get the free air you can fit in your lungs, and nothing else.” The words were firm and filled with unshakable confidence that they had never heard before. </p>
<p>Rangi inhaled and watched several daofei take a step forward out of the corner of her eye. Xu preemptively waved them off.</p>
<p>“Kyoshi, was it?” he asked. “Kyoshi, I’m eternally grateful to you and your compatriots for rescuing me. But you’re young, and that’s why you don’t understand. Eight years of my life were stolen from me. Thousands of my followers. At your tender age, what would you know about that kind of injustice?”</p>
<p>A scoff of disbelief nearly fell from Rangi’s mouth. This man thought too highly of himself and little of anyone else. </p>
<p>“A lesser man might quit in the face of a setback that large,” Xu stated with pride. “But not me. I relish the work, not the reward. I will get what I am owed.”</p>
<p>Will get what he is owed. If it was one thing that Fire Nation children learned from the very beginning of their training, it was that they were owed nothing. They were to put in the hard work and effort regardless of what they thought was their due in return. </p>
<p>Xu smiled benevolently at his self-assured charitable advice and tried to find his spot in his book again. “The world is on the verge of forgetting my name. Which means I didn’t carve the scars deep enough last time. I’ll do better with the second chance you’ve given me, Kyoshi.”</p>
<p>He motioned to Wai, who still hovered over the mother and son. Wai shoved the woman onto her knees and grabbed her hair, yanking her head back to expose her throat. She began to scream and beg. </p>
<p>“I SAID STOP!” Kyoshi shouted, her voice deeper and fuller. There was an even stronger authority that backed it now as if she had a whole army standing behind her. Wai hesitantly looked between Kyoshi and Xu.</p>
<p>Kyoshi pointed at Xu. “Xu Ping An! I challenge you to face me on the lei tai, immediately!”</p>
<p>Rangi remained unmoved, knowing that now was not the time to defy any of Kyoshi’s decisions. It was one that she would not have made herself but maybe after eight years of being in prison, the man would be rusty enough for Kyoshi to have a chance. </p>
<p>Silence fell over the crowd as they all took in Kyoshi’s words of challenge. Xu simply looked back over at Kyoshi as if he had been challenged a hundred times before. “Challenges are meant to settle grievances. What insult have I given you?”</p>
<p>“Your existence,” Kyoshi spat.</p>
<p>There was a collective gasp across the large group of daofei. Rangi’s jaw tightened as Xu finally turned his full attention to Kyoshi. He stood up and gently placed his book down on the bench as his men parted the way to the front door. The Flying Opera Company was the only thing between him and the entrance.</p>
<p>“Bending or without?” Xu asked, perfectly at ease.</p>
<p>“Bending,” Kyoshi replied. “Weapons. Anything goes.”</p>
<p>Rangi focused on the back wall of the barn and bit her tongue. She held back her objections and her fears.</p>
<p>“Very well, then.” Xu looked all of them over and began to walk away. “Let’s get this over with.” </p>
<p>As soon as he had exited the barn, Rangi pushed past Kyoshi and rushed over to help the family the daofei had harmed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As most of their journey would have it so far, the entire arrangement was lopsided. The six of them on one side of the rice field, hundreds on the other. In the middle was a team of Yellow Necks shoveling dirt and creating a lei tai platform for the challenge. Rangi stared at them working, cycling through the abundance of thoughts in her head.</p>
<p>“This was your plan?” Kirima asked.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t a plan so much as a thing that could have happened and did,” Kyoshi replied. “I noticed none of you tried to stop me.”</p>
<p>“There’s little else you can do,” Wong said. “Especially if you want to stop him from razing Zigan to the ground. It’s right next door, and the nearest Earth Kingdom army outpost is a five days’ march away.” </p>
<p>Rangi was surprised by the soft embrace that enveloped her. She sank into the warmth behind her and placed a hand on Kyoshi’s arm. “I’m sorry I keep doing this to you,” Kyoshi muttered, her lips close to Rangi’s ear. </p>
<p>This was the part of being the newest Avatar’s bodyguard that she had not looked forward to experiencing. While she would have been concerned for Yun, Kyoshi was a different story altogether. Nothing but emotions steeped in fear filled her at the moment. From what she had seen from the man already, Xu would not stop the lei tai until Kyoshi was dead. This was the drawback of her duty and it was one she would eventually have to come to terms with, but for now, she had to ignore the deep sense of dread and support Kyoshi the best she could. </p>
<p>She leaned back into her more. “Today you get a pass. As the Avatar you would have tangled with horrors like Xu on a regular basis. This might be the first time you’ve done your duty since we left Yokoya.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi squeezed her a little tighter as they both stood there silently, knowing the grim reality that this could possibly be their last chance. </p>
<p>“Kyoshi, can I speak to you for a moment?” Lao Ge interrupted. “In private?”</p>
<p>Rangi frowned as Kyoshi let go and walked away from her. She looked at Kirima. “Do you know what they talk about on their little walks together?”</p>
<p>Kirima shrugged. “I haven’t the slightest idea.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>The daofei finished stamping the platform flat. It was much smaller than the one Rangi fought on in Hujiang. Perhaps it would prove to be a potential advantage for Kyoshi, given her wingspan.</p>
<p>Xu hopped onto the lei tai first, swinging his arms around to loosen his shoulders. Rangi tilted her head a little, interested that he changed into a vest and a pair of pants that cinched at the ankles, an outfit similar to what was worn during an agni kai. It was peculiar but there was no reason she could think of to explain why a Fire Nation citizen would move to the Earth Kingdom to become a leader of the daofei. </p>
<p>“If anything happens, take Pengpeng and get out of here,” Kyoshi said and Rangi squinted her eyes, knowing those words were an echo of her own. “Find someone with the power to intervene before the Yellow Necks grow their numbers again.”</p>
<p>“What if it’s the Gravedigger?” Kirima asked.</p>
<p>Kyoshi paused and looked away without answering the question. Instead, Kyoshi pulled Rangi into one last squeeze and Rangi nearly refused to let go. As she watched Kyoshi hop up onto the platform, she noticed just how nervous the Avatar was. It was a feeling Rangi had once had when they had begun their evaluation duels at the Academy. Practicing with a class or with instructors was a more calming environment than dueling one on one with an audience. More often than not, to add to the stress, Hei-Ran would be at the evaluations and any mistakes that Rangi made were trained out of her later.</p>
<p>Now Kyoshi was alone with her bending for the first time, in front of an audience, and with her life and the lives of many others in her hands. “Are you nervous?” Kirima asked, standing to her right.</p>
<p>“More than I would like to admit,” Rangi replied, her eyes stuck on Kyoshi’s every move.</p>
<p>“For the last time, Kyoshi,” Xu called out, “Are you sure about this?”</p>
<p>“You should ask yourself that question,” Kyoshi said. “I think your kind has a little too much certainty.”</p>
<p>A shaking, young daofei stood between them as Kyoshi moved into a striking stance and Xu bounced on the balls of his feet. “Ready!” the referee shouted. “Begin!”</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyes moved towards Xu and she saw him taking a deep breath, similar to that of firebending, as he stepped into a particular starting stance. He is a firebender! She tried to yell out to Kyoshi but she was too late. Xu thrust his arms forward, two fingers extended from each hand as he struck Kyoshi with two bolts of lightning.</p>
<p>Bright pulsating light flashed in front of her eyes. Rangi’s jaw dropped as she was mortified to see a bending technique that was only hearsay in the Fire Nation until this very moment.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Dues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the last update for the day but I have more in stock and ready to be edited. We should be back to regular updates now!</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her heart dropped and everything went silent. The world around her slowed as Kyoshi came crashing down to her knees, her headdress tumbling across the platform as her jaw slammed into the ground. Green eyes looked directly at her. They still had life but she could see the fear and surprise emanating from them. Kyoshi never looked away from her, as if she was stuck, unable to move from shock. </p>
<p>Reality came snapping back to Rangi and she let out a horrified scream. She began to rush towards Kyoshi but Kirima grabbed her by the arm and yanked the firebender back.</p>
<p>“Rangi! You can’t-”</p>
<p>“No! Kyoshi! Kyoshi needs me!” Rangi pulled back and away from Kirima’s grip to get free. Once more she began to make her way towards the platform, screaming for the motionless body.</p>
<p>Wong cut her off within a few steps and picked Rangi up with ease. Rangi beat at Wong’s shoulders, trying her best to wiggle out of his stronghold. “We need to help her! We need to help!” As Wong moved quickly back to the group, she watched as Kyoshi slowly tried to get up, only to collapse back to the ground. “Kyoshi! Get up! Please, get up!” Her voice cracked as she cried out.</p>
<p>Xu walked in front of Kyoshi and planted his feet before shooting another bolt of lightning straight into her back. His striking Kyoshi again sent Rangi reeling. She leaned back and punched Wong in her face. The attack surprised the man enough that he dropped her. Rangi began her journey once more towards the platform but Lek cut her off. </p>
<p>The boy held up his hands to her, motioning for her to stop. “Rangi! We can’t get in the middle of this! You’re going to get us all killed!” Kirima and Wong caught up and grabbed her arms once more.</p>
<p>“You’re going to make it worse!” Kirima shouted. “We can’t help her. You can’t just run out to help someone during an Agni Kai, right?”</p>
<p>Rangi looked at Kirima and then looked back at Kyoshi. She continued to lay there, her eyes were now closed as Xu looked down at his victim. There was no way she would be able to live with the blame and sorrow if Kyoshi was to die here and now. </p>
<p>“It didn’t have to be this way,” Xu shouted loud enough for his voice to range over the crowd. He sent a third and fourth blast of lightning into Kyoshi’s body. “You had the greatest gift in the world. My respect. And you threw it away. For what?” He kicked her in the shoulder. Rangi flinched and watched helplessly as tears welled up in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you’ve looked at me since last night,” he continued to shout. He glanced over at The Flying Opera Company for a moment before returning his eyes to the lifeless body. “Staring at me with condemnation in your eyes. What you don’t understand is that men like me are beyond judgment! I do as I will, and the world must bear my discretions with submission and gratitude!” Xu shot another bolt into Kyoshi.</p>
<p>There was a moment of pause as he looked down at Kyoshi’s motionless body. He took a deep breath through his nostrils and shot a continuous stream of lightning at his target. The man looked up and stared directly at The Flying Opera Company with a grin. It became too much for Rangi to bear witness to anymore.</p>
<p>Rangi took one step and Kirima and Wong grabbed her. With as much strength as she had, Rangi dug her feet into the ground and stepped forward as she cried out for Kyoshi. “Stop!” she screamed, her voice cracking. “Please stop!”</p>
<p>Bright light poured from Kyoshi’s eyes as they opened again. Her hand reached out to grab Xu’s ankle. The lightning he sent into Kyoshi was quickly redirected back into him, causing the man to squeal. He stopped the flow in time for Kyoshi to upend him, dumping the daofei leader onto his back.</p>
<p>The Flying Opera Company all stood there, staring at the sight. They watched, mouths agape, as Kyoshi grabbed Xu by the collar. The wind began to pick up speed as it rushed towards Kyoshi. She rose into the air on a whirling vortex of air, sucking both her and Xu higher into the sky. The strength of the wind from the vortex pushed against them, causing them to have to hold onto each other while planting their feet firmly into the dirt. Kyoshi reached out and set flame to the rice stalks, sending Xu’s men fleeing from the area. </p>
<p>“We need to hide, now!” Kirima shouted over the wind.</p>
<p>Wong pushed at the earth below them and carefully moved it down so they now stood in a trench. He reached over his head and covered the top of the hole with a large earthen slab. He had left an opening so they could keep an eye on Kyoshi. Kyoshi’s voice, backed by a legion of others, easily projected over the chaos around them.</p>
<p>“You forget, Xu. There is always someone who stands above you in judgment.” The sound of Avatars before Kyoshi rang strong. Rangi’s heart raced at the sound and sight of what she was witnessing. She wondered if her mother had ever seen anything like this during her time with Avatar Kuruk.</p>
<p>“What will you do now? Knowing that your every step will have consequences?”</p>
<p>A large burst of flame was seen in the sky, followed by a moment of silence. Xu’s answer to Kyoshi’s question seemed to not satisfy the Avatar and they soon heard the sounds of screaming getting closer. With a heavy thump, the body of the daofei leader impacted into the ground in the distance. All five of them in the temporary bunker never looked away. Rangi watched and wondered if it was the other Avatars that had made the decision or if it was at Kyoshi’s free will to let the Xu Ping An fall to his death. </p>
<p>The tornadic wind began to calm as Kyoshi slowly floated back down to the earth. She was bending the element as if she had been handling it her entire life and more. Her hair and the fabric of her tunics and skirts rippled in waves. As the rushing air dissipated, they all watched and waited for what the Avatar did next. She stood there, facing Wai. </p>
<p>“Begone,” Kyoshi said, reaching her hand out, threatening to send another round of fire his way. The voices of the Avatars previous to her slowly faded from her voice.</p>
<p>Wai made the fist-over-hand gesture and bowed deeply. He and the remaining daofei faded away into the fields, putting as much distance between them and Kyoshi as possible.</p>
<p>Kyoshi began to look around her in search of them. Lek cleared his throat and was the first to speak. “Are you, uh, still possessed?” He asked. “Or are you you again?”</p>
<p>“Will you please just show yourselves?” she snapped.</p>
<p>There was a grinding noise as they rose into view. Wong raised the shelter upwards but no one moved once they were on even ground. Rangi stood in front of everyone else, staring at Kyoshi without knowing what to say. She wanted to embrace her and never let go. Instead, she resisted, hesitant on how to proceed. For years now she had known Kyoshi and had become accustomed to her certain ways, but she hadn’t really seen the Avatar, until now. It all brought a new perspective to who Kyoshi truly was now.</p>
<p>Kyoshi’s shoulders slumped a little. “Don’t do this,” Kyoshi said. “Please. If you act like this, I won’t be able to…” Her knees buckled and Rangi took a few quick steps forward but Kyoshi caught herself.</p>
<p>The deep burns across Kyoshi’s hands became apparent and Rangi’s eyes opened wide. “Kyoshi, your hands,” she said, aghast.</p>
<p>Kyoshi lifted her hands to her face and began to sway. She looked up at Kirima and then over to Rangi, a look of fear on her face.</p>
<p>“We have to get her to a healer!” Kirima shouted as she hurried forward, noticing that Kyoshi was getting ready to fall. </p>
<p>“Kyoshi!” Lek ran forward and tried to prop Kyoshi up the best he could. “Kyoshi!”</p>
<p>Rangi was already by his side as Kyoshi completely passed out and buckled forward. Lek was the last person among them who should have tried to hold her up physically. They were able to keep Kyoshi from slamming into the ground until Wong made it to them, picking the tall girl up with ease.</p>
<p>It scared Rangi, looking over and seeing Kyoshi’s body ragged and limp in Wong’s arms. She lifted one of her arms and looked over the burn wounds. “We have to find a healer, now.”</p>
<p>“Lek and I will move ahead to Zigan to find someone. You travel with Wong and Lao Ge and get Kyoshi there safely.” Kirima said. She looked over at Kyoshi. “We will find someone, I promise.” </p>
<p>Rangi nodded. “We will be right behind you.” She watched as the two daofei took off, element stepping as quickly as they could towards the town.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Slowly, but surely, RoR is getting completed! Lots of life stuff, as per usual. Don't worry though as it is all good, fun, positive life stuff. </p>
<p>A lot of the content from this chapter forward is pretty much original so expect some delay while I figure out how I want to guide the story from Rangi's POV. I'm excited about the next chapters though, given how intense they are. </p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They brought Kyoshi back to Zigan. Getting her there had taken longer than expected, as Kyoshi would move in and out of consciousness, going through fits of pain every time they moved her too much. Getting her onto Pengpeng’s saddle had been an arduous process. Rangi could hardly imagine the gnawing pain that Kyoshi must have been feeling. All she could do was walk Kyoshi through the discomfort, reassuring her that they were on their way to help and that there was only a little ways more to go each time. Behind every statement that everything was going to be just fine was an overwhelming amount of false confidence and grief.</p>
<p>As they finally approached the town, Lek and Kirima were waiting on the ground impatiently.</p>
<p>“Come on!” Lek called out. “We found a healer. A burn specialist!” It was a miracle straight from the Spirits.</p>
<p>That announcement made them pick up the pace. On their arrival, Lek and Lao Ge stayed with Pengpeng to move her to a better location while Kirima led them through a row of small homes and down an alleyway that opened up to an abandoned corner of Zigan. The dilapidated house they entered already had furniture arranged in it and a room with a bed set up with medical supplies on a nearby table. </p>
<p>A woman wearing voluminous skirts stood near the bed with her lips in a straight line. “Well, come on then. Place her on the bed so I can take a look.” The sharp, higher-pitched voice shattered the silence among them. Wong did as instructed though, placing Kyoshi gently on the wooden bed before leaving to help unload Pengpeng.</p>
<p>Kirima now stood near the woman and motioned to her. “This is Mistress Song. She is one of the best burn doctors in the kingdom and has promised to help with Kyoshi.” </p>
<p>“Thank you, Mistress Song,” Rangi started. “You have no idea how much-”</p>
<p>“I need silence. If you can’t give me silence, then leave.” The forceful healer was focused on the deep scorch marks on Kyoshi’s hands, studying them to find the best solution. “You, waterbender. Come here.” Kirima hurried to the bedside. “Take one hand at a time and give some relief to this girl while I make up some medicine. You don’t need to help them just yet, we will get to that once she is at ease.”</p>
<p>Kirima quietly did as instructed and with great care. Rangi moved to the head of the bed and looked down at Kyoshi. Her face twitched and her eyebrows furrowed as Kirima worked on the tender wounds. It was impressive how much Kyoshi was handling the pain. Rangi had seen grown adults unable to handle a simple burn from training or an Agni Kai, let alone one from lightning and something as horrifying as Kyoshi’s injury.</p>
<p>Mistress Song returned with a small bowl of medicine and presented it to Kyoshi’s lips but the girl refused, moving her face away from the offering. She pulled the hand Kirima was working on away from her and groaned. Kyoshi then mumbled about not wanting to be poisoned again. They all looked at each other as Kyoshi drabbled on about wanting no medicine at all. The healer tried once more to offer the concoction but Kyoshi struck out weakly, nearly knocking the bowl to the floor.</p>
<p>Rangi placed her hands gently on either side of Kyoshi’s face so there was something familiar to focus on. The jade eyes that she looked into were filled with pain like never before and she could tell that Kyoshi was becoming delirious from exhaustion and injury. “Kyoshi, you need to take the medicine. It’s going to help.” She motioned for them to try offering again.</p>
<p>Kirima stood there, now holding the bowl of medication. She attempted to give it to Kyoshi but was only met with more resistance. Kyoshi flung an arm through the air, hitting the bowl and causing half of it to dump out onto Kirima. The waterbender growled in frustration as she glared at Rangi.</p>
<p>“She’s lucky she’s injured or else I’d dump this on her head,” Kirima grumbled.</p>
<p>“Stop. She’s in pain and she’s not fully coherent right now.” Rangi glared back.</p>
<p>“You two keep trying at this. I forgot something and have to get it from home. I’ll be back.” Mistress Song had left the room in a huff over Kyoshi’s refusal towards help. Rangi wasn’t going to let her suffer though. She couldn’t bear to witness the pain much longer.</p>
<p>Rangi sighed. “Please, Kyoshi. You can trust us. The medicine is going to help the pain go away. I’m not going to let anything else happen to you here. Please, I beg you to just drink a little of it.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi continued to refuse. She gritted her teeth in pain as she twisted and turned in agony. Within the next hour, the pain grew significantly and pushed Kyoshi to her breaking point. She tensed and pressed into the bed, screaming in sheer pain. Tears began to fall from her eyes. Her hands were clenched and her fingernails broke through the already damaged skin, causing blood to drip from her palms.</p>
<p>Once more, Kirima grabbed the bowl of medicine and offered it to Kyoshi. This time felt like a miracle and they all sighed in relief when Kyoshi hastily took the bowl, gulping down the concoction that was going to help. All that Rangi cared about now was that Kyoshi would finally feel relief from the injury that was gnashing its teeth at her. </p>
<p>Rangi slumped down into the oversized armchair Wong had brought in earlier as they had been waiting. She leaned to the side and rested her face in her hand, sighing in exhaustion. It had been a tiring month, with the past day itself being enough to make her want to sleep for a week. </p>
<p>“You want to take first watch on her?” Kirima asked.</p>
<p>Rangi looked up to find the woman standing in the doorway. “Yes. Any chance you can bring me something to eat?”</p>
<p>Kirima nodded solemnly. “I’ll see what I can do.”</p>
<p>With a small smile of appreciation, Rangi looked back at Kyoshi and swallowed back the massive lump in her throat as Kirima closed the door. She closed her eyes and tightened her jaw, eventually resting her face in her hand once more.</p>
<p>———</p>
<p>Nighttime slowly came and Rangi refused to leave the room. Over the day, she had paced, helped Kirima and Mistress Song, ate whatever her friends would bring her, and dozed off for a few minutes in the oversized chair. There was no leaving the room though and no one could convince her otherwise. Kyoshi was never going to leave her sight. </p>
<p>“You can’t stay in here the entire time.” Kirima’s voice suddenly came from the doorway.</p>
<p>“I’m fine. I need to know she is doing okay,” Rangi answered before yawning deeply.</p>
<p>Kirima tapped the door frame with her boot. “You have a handful of other people here to help you. Why don’t you get some fresh air and I’ll keep an eye on her?”</p>
<p>“Seriously, I’m fine just staying here. I’ll get out tomorrow.” Rangi blinked and looked up at the ceiling, wishing she could avoid any interaction with everyone right now. She slowly tilted her head and looked over at Kirima. “I want to stay with her through this first day, to make sure she’s fine. What if something bad happens to her again? I don’t know if I could-“</p>
<p>“Quit being dramatic,” Kirima snapped and rolled her eyes. “You expect the Avatar to always be put in harmless situations? News flash, Topknot. You’re going to get heartbroken over and over again if you expect that. This is something I figured the Avatar’s bodyguard would know by now.”</p>
<p>“I could go without your criticism right now,” Rangi growled back through clenched teeth.</p>
<p>“It’s not criticism. I’m being an honest friend giving you the facts that you don’t want to face.” Kirima looked over at Kyoshi and gestured a hand in the same direction. “This is likely nothing compared to what she will face and you’re going to have to be by her side, watching and unable to help at times. And you can either use this as experience and grow from it or you can keep suffering and sulking like you are now.”</p>
<p>It was with annoyance that Rangi had to admit to herself that Kirima was right in this matter. This had already been a conversation she had with herself multiple times since she left Yokoya with Kyoshi. There had always been the thought and self-agreement that she would simply jump in front of the Avatar during anything that was too tough or life-threatening. She would be their shield. The reality of her own unrealistic expectation was sharply setting in.</p>
<p>She looked over to the girl laying passed out in the bed and slumped her shoulders. “Give me tonight, okay?”</p>
<p>“Fair enough.”</p>
<p>“Is Mistress Song gone for the evening?” Rangi asked.</p>
<p>Kirima nodded. “Until tomorrow at sunrise.” There were a few beats of silence between them. “I know the past month has been tough on you but, you will get through it. You’re Fire Nation and daofei, after all.” She left on that note, closing the door behind her.</p>
<p>It made Rangi smirk in appreciation for a brief moment before she stood up. The corners of her mouth fell once more when she looked over at Kyoshi, who lay still and sleeping. Her hands were wrapped with bandages covering the poultice that Mistress Song had lathered on earlier. Kyoshi looked in peace for the moment with the pain subsided for now.</p>
<p>Rangi unwrapped the sash from her waist and pulled off her tunic, folding them and placing them both on the side table. She untucked her sleeveless undershirt before removing the pin from her hair. That was then placed on top of the clothes neatly set aside. </p>
<p>There was more than enough room for her to crawl into the bed and sleep, and she did just that. With immense care, she moved Kyoshi’s arm and pulled the covers back before getting into bed, laying on her side. Rangi pulled the blankets up to her chin before gently resting the side of her head on Kyoshi’s chest with an arm draped across Kyoshi’s stomach. Her eyes closed as she inhaled deeply, clearing her mind so she could finally rest.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>“Do you think you could let me win at least once?” Lek groaned.</p>
<p>Rangi grinned and moved another one of her pieces onto the Pai Sho board Wong had found in the house. He had brought it back to the room they had quickly made into a common area.</p>
<p>Lek knew the basics but never had anyone to play with, so now Rangi was sitting across from him and laughing to herself. Her tenth win in a row was clearly on its way as the boy stared deeply into the board. He was trying so hard to find the next move.</p>
<p>“Is there no mercy in the Fire Nation?” The boy asked, placing a tile down with uncertainty.</p>
<p>“You either win or lose, there is no between.” With that, Rangi placed a tile down and smiled widely at Lek, her eyes beaming with amusement. </p>
<p>He narrowed his eyes, carefully moving his stare from her to the board. “Are you serious? Again?” Lek threw his arms in the air and fell backward, groaning from the sheer annoyance of losing once more.</p>
<p>“I’m going to excuse myself. I need a break, but I suggest you keep working on your game skills. We will play again later.” Rangi tapped the top of the board, sticking her tongue out at Lek when he glared her way. She stood and walked from the common room.  </p>
<p>The outside greeted her with a breath of fresh air. A soft breeze blew her loose strands of hair back. It was a clear day with only a few wispy clouds in the sky. Just out on the horizon was where the events from the night previous had happened. A sinking feeling in her heart took over as she thought about the farmer and his family.</p>
<p>Kirima came walking up from her trek into the market. “You enjoying the sun, Topknot?”</p>
<p>“I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll be back.” Rangi didn’t wait for a response and took off towards the market herself.</p>
<p>It was quickly made obvious that Zigan was another town in the Earth Kingdom that was struggling under poor leadership. Several buildings were either in ruins or very much on the verge. Many of them were wind stripped of paint on the sideboards. And while it wasn’t the worst town she had seen, poverty had struck the townspeople with hardships that could have been preventable with support from their governor. </p>
<p>Upon entering the market, she discovered it to be a single row of vendors with a handful of tents and carts on each side of the road. There was a booth at the very front with hand-woven baskets stacked as high as she was tall. They were beautifully made and showcased the talent of the woman who sat on the ground making them.</p>
<p>“It’s a silver piece for the ones you’re looking at,” she stated, not looking up from her work in progress.</p>
<p>A basket was needed with what Rangi was planning to do and there was no other choice than to buy one. Rangi dug out a silver piece from her pocket and laid it on the stand. With a basket now in hand, she walked through the market and picked up several bunches of vegetables and sweet potatoes. She bought necessities like flour and eggs. There was a stand for dried meats so she bought a bundle with a variety. With luck, she managed to find a small, albeit expensive bag of rice for sale.</p>
<p>There was not much to say to the vendors and they weren’t very talkative either. It made for a quick process, which worked out fine since she wanted to make headway towards her destination. Rangi strode out of town, the basket heavy as the handle dug into her arm.</p>
<p>It was a trek but she approached a small farmhouse at last. The damages of the other night’s duel between Avatar Kyoshi and Xu Ping An were more than evident still. Half of the fields were burned or destroyed from upheaval. The entrance of the barn looked ransacked.</p>
<p>Rangi walked up the porch steps and knocked. She stood there in silence for a long moment, unable to look away from the crops. With a creak, the door opened and she jumped out of her absentminded thoughts.</p>
<p>“We aren’t taking visitors right now. Please leave.” The woman barely showed her face on the other side of the cracked open door.</p>
<p>“I- I was here when everything happened. I wanted to check on you.” Rangi swallowed the lump in her throat. A tide of emotions all swirled in her stomach and was trying to surface. She kept it suppressed as much as she could. “I brought you and your family some food, as a tiding of well-being and healing. Please, I insist that you accept it.”</p>
<p>The woman continued to stare at her for a moment before opening the door more. “Wait a minute. You're the girl who helped us get back to our house after the daofei left the barn.”</p>
<p>Rangi gave a meek smile. “Yes, that was me.”</p>
<p>“You were with the Avatar.” A sense of hope lined the words.</p>
<p>“Yes. Avatar Kyoshi.” Rangi looked past the woman. “May I come in?”</p>
<p>With a start, the woman now bowed and nodded. “Yes, please. I’m sorry to have made you stand out here for so long. Any friend of the Avatar is a friend of this household. Come in, come in.” </p>
<p>Rangi was ushered in and the woman quickly helped set down the basket on a small table. They had not seen much of the house the other night but now she took in the details. It was a simple farmhouse, scarce of any major details. A portrait of the Earth King was on the wall of the small gathering room.</p>
<p>A short hallway led to two smaller bedrooms. The kitchen was barer than Rangi could have imagined. This was perspective at its finest, bringing her to understand the true differences between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Though, it led her to wonder how many people in her own nation lived like this without her even knowing. </p>
<p>“Come, dear. My husband will be happy to see you.” The woman led her to one of the bedrooms, where a man was laid up in bed. “Lee! We have a guest. She is the Fire Nation girl that helped us back home.” She turned to Rangi. “I’m sorry, dear, but what was your name again?”</p>
<p>“Rangi. And you are Chio, right?”</p>
<p>“You have a great memory and a beautiful name.” Choi’s sweet and welcoming voice went sharp as she turned back to her husband. “Lee! Show some respect, one of the Avatar’s companions is here!”</p>
<p>“I’m trying to sleep and heal, woman!” Lee grumbled from under the covers.</p>
<p>Choi’s eyes narrowed as she bore a stare through the blankets. “Don’t be disrespectful.”</p>
<p>It was time to intervene. “It’s okay, he can stay resting. Please. Um, Avatar Kyoshi would insist that he heals up.”</p>
<p>“If she insists. Now, come here. I bet you are tired and hungry.” Choi led her back to the kitchen and forced Rangi to sit down in a wooden chair. “That is quite a walk from town. Do you want something to eat? You need something to eat.”</p>
<p>“No, no. It’s fine. I don’t want to be-“</p>
<p>“Nonsense!” Choi snapped. She chuckled and smiled. “You sit there. I’m going to make food. After you brought us this wonderful basket, I’m not sending you back into town with an empty stomach.”</p>
<p>Rangi sighed and sank into the chair, realizing now that she was held captive to a very hospitable woman who likely didn’t get too many visitors. She listened to Choi go on about stories of the farm and her childhood. They laughed at the memories and Choi even told her about their hardest times and current struggles.</p>
<p>Time passed quickly as Choi moved furiously about the kitchen, talking and throwing food about. Before she knew it, a bowl of rice and a plate of dumplings sat before Rangi on the table. Choi sat down in front of her and they both began to eat, enjoying the small meal in the peace of each other’s company.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>———</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why do you always seem so sad when we leave? Especially here lately? I thought you loved adventuring the world.” Yun teasingly punched Rangi on her shoulder.</p>
<p>She shrugged. “Do you ever feel like Kyoshi should come with us?”</p>
<p>Yun took a moment to think before answering honestly. “Yes and no. Yes, because it would be nice to have our friend with us. No, because her job is to be at the estate, not helping make negotiations.”</p>
<p>The answer seemed a little harsh but perhaps Yun was right. Maybe Kyoshi had no place being with them in negotiations after all. She watched the estate become smaller and smaller as Pengpeng ascended into the air, leaving Kyoshi behind once more. Her shoulders and heart sank a little, knowing that she wouldn’t get to see Kyoshi for at least the next three weeks. </p>
<p>Rangi could feel Yun staring intensely. “Aw, do you miss Kyoshi already? Is your love-struck heart sad?”</p>
<p>She refused to look at him. “I’m not lovestruck, and yes, I’m going to miss our friend. Is there a problem with that?”</p>
<p>“Maybe you should just ask her out by the turtleduck pond already.” He said teasingly. </p>
<p>Rangi scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She looked over to find Yun gone and sitting by Jianzhu now. Her attention went back to Yokoya. She hoped the Spirits kept Kyoshi safe while they were gone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>———</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The return back to the shack they found in the back streets of Zigan was uneventful. When she arrived, everyone was sitting in the gathering room they had pieced together. </p>
<p>“Well, you have been gone for a while,” Kirima commented.</p>
<p>“I paid a visit to the family that Xu Ping An had tortured the other night.” Rangi leaned against the doorway, looking over at Lek. “Have you figured out how to play Pai Sho yet?”</p>
<p>Lek jumped to his feet and pointed at her. “I know how to play!”</p>
<p>She raised an eyebrow in response.</p>
<p>He backed down a little. “I just don’t know how to beat your skill level yet. Give it time and you’ll be asking me for pointers!” Lek pressed his thumb into his proud chest.</p>
<p>“When that day comes, it’s because I stopped breathing,” Rangi smirked.</p>
<p>Lek took the challenge without hesitation. “Sure thing, sister. You’ll stop breathing from the pure shock of me beating you at your own game.”</p>
<p>“You talk a big game for such a small person.” </p>
<p>Kirima choked at the comeback and began to laugh harder than Rangi had ever witnessed before. Even Wong began to chuckle at Lek’s inability to respond. Rangi could not help but smile before both she and Lek started laughing as well. It was a moment of relief to all of them, having a moment of jest that they could all have a part in.</p>
<p>It had been another long day for them all. Rangi yawned and stretched. “I’ll take my post for the night with Kyoshi. Thank you for taking care of her today.”</p>
<p>“It’s what family does,” Wong stated simply as they all looked at her. They all looked just as exhausted and worn as she felt. The previous month had been tiring enough but nothing compared to the chaos of the raid and Xu Ping An.</p>
<p>Rangi thanked them once more and walked down the hall to Kyoshi’s room. She closed the door behind her once Lao Ge left and looked at Kyoshi, who laid there peacefully. There was no more pain on her face and that alone relieved Rangi of most of her stress. </p>
<p>It didn’t relieve the disappointment in herself though. With her whole heart, she was to fight for and with the Avatar. Her sworn duty was to protect the Avatar. Yet, here she was, looking at Kyoshi, bedridden from a fight where she could have been easily killed. Why had she let the daofei codes hold her back from standing next to Kyoshi in that arena? </p>
<p>It was difficult to not feel guilty. Everyone could tell her repeatedly that the Avatar would be in far more danger in her future and it still wouldn’t change how Rangi felt. Avatar or not, it was difficult to move past Kyoshi being injured.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>“Rangi, I can’t airbend. You’re not an airbending teacher.”</p>
<p>It was the day before Kyoshi was scheduled to begin training with Kirima, to see if they could lift an entire pond’s worth of water together. Rangi and Kyoshi were off by themselves in a small clearing under a lonely, gnarled mountain tree that had sprinkled its dried leaves over the ground. The two of them walked around in circles, their arms extended, nearly meeting in the center. There was no way they were doing this right.</p>
<p>“I’m not trying to teach your airbending,” Rangi said, her face twisting in determination. “I only want you to create wind, once, before you start waterbending in earnest. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” She spun around and traded the position of her hands like she had seen Kelsang do during his practices. “I think you’re supposed to… spiral? Feel your energy spiraling?”</p>
<p>Kyoshi had to take an awkward pivot as they both almost collided. “How are you okay with amateur, self-taught airbending?”</p>
<p>Rangi clenched her jaw. “I’m not. I just- I just have this irrational fear that if you get too good at waterbending before ever airbending once, you’ll damage the elemental cycle. Back when you used your fans to waterbend, I was ecstatic at first, but then I panicked. I started having nightmares that you permanently locked out your firebending and airbending. I was afraid you’d become a broken Avatar.”</p>
<p>Rangi plunked down on the ground and put her head in her hands. The weight of stress on her shoulders was becoming exhausting. “I know it doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense anymore. We’re doing everything wrong. Up is down, left is right.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi knelt down behind her and wrapped her arms around Rangi, pulling her close. “But the center doesn’t change.”</p>
<p>Rangi made a little snort before biting at the inside of her cheek. “You know I miss him too?” she murmured. She could feel the exhaustion and emotion building behind her eyes. “Master Kelsang. He was so kind and funny. Sometimes when I find myself missing him, I feel guilty that I’m not thinking about my father instead. I wish they were both here. I wish everyone we’ve lost could be here with us, one last time.” She would give a lot to see her father and Kelsang again.</p>
<p>Kyoshi squeezed her tight and Rangi placed her hands on Kyoshi’s arms. She closed her eyes and wished to the Spirits that they would succeed in Kyoshi’s development as an Avatar.</p>
<p>There was a tickle against her face and she looked up to see a swirling dance of leaves, spinning around in a circle, the two of them caught in its eye. Rangi remembered seeing Kelsang and Kyoshi in the gardens once. The monk was doing this same thing and Kyoshi would laugh as she reached out and touched the currents and let the wind run between her fingers. </p>
<p>Kyoshi reached out and moved her hand a little, gentling pushing the breeze with her hand. The wind spun faster at her request and it felt as if Kelsang was there with them one last time.</p>
<p>A soft kiss from Kyoshi was planted on Rangi’s temple. “They’ll always be with us,” Kyoshi whispered as soft as the breeze. “Always.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. The Ambush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, sat down after work and wrote all evening and this is what happened. Got a whole chapter done!</p>
<p>Only three more chapters left after this one. On the bright side, there is a "Kyoshi Fortnight 2021" content event happening in July. Two weeks of prompts already created and waiting! Check out kyoshi-fortnight on tumblr to find more details and the prompts.</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In Hei-Ran’s opinion, it was somewhat of a nuisance to have Jianzhu back home in Yokoya. He had been actively avoiding questions from the staff about the team he left with and where they all went. And if he did answer, it was with open ended lies to remove the focus from himself.</p>
<p>Hui had informed her of the message he had received from Saiful. Given what was on there and knowing Jianzhu’s past all too well, she could already determine what happened to every last person that did not return with the man. </p>
<p>Her friend did not know of her knowledge on any matters though. There was still belief that she was following him blindly in hopes to find her daughter and the new, rightful Avatar. She watched as Jianzhu shuttered the doors to his study and slumped his shoulders before turning and walking to his desk, where he dumped all of his missed correspondence. All but the one letter Hei-Ran had come across and disposed of. The woman sat on the couch, holding nothing but a blank stare.</p>
<p>“The trail went cold in Taihua, and we lost a shirshu,” he said. He knifed a wax seal off a mail cylinder. “But that’s why we have the mated pair, isn’t it? Redundancy, the key to success.”</p>
<p>“Jianzhu,” Hei-Ran said with a cold edge to her tone.</p>
<p>“Ba Sing Se is near Taihua.” Jianzhu ignored her and half-heartedly began to read the letter in hand. By the color of the seal alone, she could tell it was the one from Governor Te. “I’ll bet they’re somewhere safe behind the walls. I’ll have to round up my contacts in all three rings.”</p>
<p>“Jianzhu!”</p>
<p>He finally looked up from the scroll.</p>
<p>“Stop,” she said. “It’s over.”</p>
<p>She had to play the next part carefully. Every word and fluctuation had to be just right. “I kept an eye on Hui’s movements while you were gone,” Hei-Ran said. “A little more than a week ago there was an explosion of activity coming from his offices. Letters, messengers, gold and silver being transferred.”</p>
<p>That part was more than true. The activity began when Saiful’s message arrived to Hui and when Hei-Ran informed him that Yun was, in fact, not the true Avatar. She made an off character decision to put her trust in the man she had the least desire to trust in the first place. Hui had informed her of the trail the Avatar and Rangi had taken and in exchange, she told him about Yun not being the real Avatar. They both knew everything but Jianzhu still assumed they each had separate pieces of the puzzle. Hei-Ran was intrigued on how Jianzhu would manage to keep the information in check. </p>
<p>“Hui is acting on the information you gave him at the party,” Hei-Ran continued. “He’s building a case with the other sages to take the Avatar away from you. If he’s made this much progress based solely on Yun having a falling-out with you, how do you think people will react to learning about Kyoshi?”</p>
<p>Her and Hui had come to an agreement already about Kyoshi. They would manage to strip the Avatar away from Jianzhu one way or another and she would be placed not in the hands of any of the sages, but in the hands of Hei-Ran. There were no female sages currently in the Earth Kingdom and it was easy to convince Hui that Kyoshi would likely need some certain guidance at certain points in her life. </p>
<p>The near mentioning of sensitive topics made Hui cringe and he quickly agreed to letting Hei-Ran take the reins once Avatar Kyoshi was back safe in Yokoya, under the conditions that he was her earthbending Master. The last bit didn’t please Hei-Ran but it would have to do in order for her to get what she wanted and to get what needed to be done. It made her laugh at how easy it was to make the man agree by using a ridiculous excuse, but it worked and therefore, she went with it.</p>
<p>Jianzhu sighed, knowing that the revelation of Kyoshi being the Avatar had not gone well for the very few people who already knew. “How do you think we should respond?”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran curled up on the couch, hugging her knees and playing into the sad desperation. “I don’t want to respond,” she said. “I want to tell Hui and the sages the truth so they can help us extend the search. Jianzhu, I don’t care about the Avatar anymore. I want my daughter back.”</p>
<p>It was more than true that she wanted her daughter back. She didn’t want to lose her the way she lost Junsik, but she was confident in Rangi’s ability to make it back to Yokoya safely. The girl was nearly better than Hei-Ran at combat now and could evade anything. There were certainly dangers in their way, but their biggest one stood right in front of her. Afterall, Jianzhu had used Rangi’s scent with the shirshu instead of Kyoshi’s. Remembering that made Hei-Ran want to grab the man by the throat.</p>
<p>The wheels were turning in Jianzhu’s head. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it is over. This farce has gone on for too long.”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.</p>
<p>“You said Hui started his moves a week ago.” Jianzhu scratched the underside of his chin. “It’ll take him at least another two weeks to send missives and get responses from all the sages who matter in the Earth Kingdom. They’ll gather in Gaoling or Omashu and then summon me to answer for my mistakes; that’s another week. That’s plenty of time to ready a statement of the truth.”</p>
<p>He shrugged. “We may even find Kyoshi before then. The facts will come out immediately in that case. I’d lose the Avatar, but you’d be reunited with your daughter.”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran smiled and stood up, walking over to Jianzhu. She placed a hand on his unshaven cheek, stroking it gently with her thumb. The smile remained on her face while she resisted smacking the man deep into the waters of the South Pole. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I know what you’re sacrificing. Thank you.”</p>
<p>She sighed. He had no idea what was coming next. </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>Hei-Ran closed the door to Jianzhu’s study and closed her eyes. She composed herself and walked through the various hallways and corridors, checking that everyone was getting back to their scheduled work. </p>
<p>It was likely that Jianzhu was now reading Governor Te’s letter in full. She had already read all of the man’s correspondence and carefully resealed each one. All was fair in love and war and she had her own side of the coin to maintain. </p>
<p>The letter told of Xu Ping An’s jailbreak. It was a surprise to Hei-Ran to know the Yellow Neck leader was still alive, but not as big of a surprise to find out that Kyoshi was likely involved in that jailbreak and a potential assassination of Te himself. It had made her chuckle though, thinking of Kyoshi taking out the imbacle of an Earth Kingdom leader. </p>
<p>If Kyoshi was okay though, then that had to mean Rangi was just as fine. It raised the question of why they were both involved in a daofei raid to retrieve Xu Ping An from Te’s palace though. There must have been valid reasoning behind what they were doing and while the woman did not agree with the actions, Hei-Ran already added it to the list of things she would wait for her daughter to eventually come clean about. </p>
<p>Jianzhu had probably made it to the letter from the captain in Yousheng now. The lawmen in the territory had captured a handful of daofei that told an unbelievable story. Their leader, Xu Ping An, had been murdered by a spirit with glowing eyes, drenched in blood and white ashes, who had carried Xu into the sky before sucking the life-giving flame out of his body and consuming it for herself. The glowing eyes alone was enough to inform Hei-Ran that they had seen Kyoshi go into the Avatar State and kill their beloved leader once and for all. </p>
<p>It was impressive that Kyoshi had managed to control her Avatar State even a little within the month she had been gone. Her and Rangi must have found some truly impressive teachers that agreed to keep them secret from the world that was searching endlessly for them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>Hei-Ran and Jianzhu stood there with fake smiles on their faces, waving happily at the approaching coach that was emblazoned with the Beifong flying boar. They had both perfected the skill of fake hospitality. It had come in handy when they had to maintain a front during gatherings of high-ranking officials while Kuruk dozed off the previous night’s revelries or made eyes at pretty delegates. </p>
<p>“Did you know about this?” he asked Hei-Ran.</p>
<p>“I swear I did not.” She did know as she was the one that encouraged Hui to pay a visit after Jianzhu’s arrival home. “I thought you said we had weeks.”</p>
<p>She could tell the man was trying to calculate a plan as quickly as possible as they both watched the long caravan of sages approach. It was in strategic planning that Hei-Ran was not to be underestimated. Her and Hui had been rushing to get as many sages involved in this power grab.</p>
<p>The leader coach pulled up to the gate of the manor and came to a stop. The boar on the doors split open to reveal Hui, who’d traveled alone. </p>
<p>“Chamberlain!” Jianzhu announced with a boisterous smile. “What a delightful surprise! Is Lu Beifong with you?”</p>
<p>“Master Jianzhu,” Hue said grimly before looking over at Hei-Ran. “Headmistress. I wish I could say I was here under more pleasant circumstances. Lu Beifong will not be joining us.”</p>
<p>Both Hei-Ran and Jianzhu watched as the other sages stepped out of their coaches and tallied who had come. Hui had handpicked the attendees of this surprise conclave, all of which he could influence. It was going to take promises and vast sums of money but Hui made it happen. No matter the exchange, they were all here with hostile intent.</p>
<p>“Well!” Jianzhu said cheerfully, smacking his hands together. “Let’s get you all inside and refreshed!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was only a few short minutes before Jianzhu entered the grand reception hall. It had been rearranged. The sages seated themselves across three sides of the room, behind the rows of long tables, and Hui was in the middle where the master of the house would normally be. He was sitting in Jianzhu’s chair. </p>
<p>Hei-Ran sat to his left, looking across the room to Jianzhu. If he had not slowly betrayed her and lied to her, then she would have felt sorry for her old friend. Instead, she gave a wide eyed glance to him, pretending to be worried and still on his side. </p>
<p>Jianzhu sat down silently, alone, behind the remaining table, and waited. He glanced around at the stares being given to him from all directions. </p>
<p>“Master Jianzhu,” Hui started. “Could you ask Master Kelsang and the Avatar to join us?”</p>
<p>The servants opened the door and entered with steaming trays of tea. Jianzhu milked the moment for all it was worth, waiting to answer until each sage had a cup placed before them. He made motions of thanks to the maid who gave him his, and took a sip, praising Auntie Mui’s choice of the blended oolong. </p>
<p>Only once the staff had left did he speak. “You know as well as I do I cannot. Master Kelsang and the Avatar are still on their spiritual journey.” Jianzhu was going to keep on with the cover up as long as he possibly could.</p>
<p>Hui smiled tightly. “Yes, their journey. The abbots of the Air Temples haven’t seen them once since you made your claim. Is it not strange that Master Kelsang hasn’t taken the boy to any of the temples, whether to visit the sacred sites or simply to resupply?”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran took a small sip of her tea as she listened to the conversation unravel.</p>
<p>“I don’t wish to speak ill of my friend, but he does have a rocky relationship with some of the more orthodox Air Temple leaders. And places holy to the Air Nomads exist around the world. They’re nomads.”</p>
<p>“And what holy places are in Taihua?” Hui snapped. “Perhaps the previously unknown settlement of daofei there?”</p>
<p>Jianzhu took a breath and stayed calm, much to Hei-Ran’s surprise. “Chamberlain, what are you saying?”</p>
<p>“I’m saying that the Avatar’s last known whereabouts happened to be in a nest of criminals, traitors, and outlaws, and that he hasn’t been seen since! I’m saying that we have to assume the worst! That he and his companion are in mortal danger, if not dead already!”</p>
<p>Hei-Ran placed her cup down. Hui was doing a great job at keeping his fiction versus facts straight in order to push Jianzhu to spill the truth. It was now up to her to maintain her own illusion and that meant being surprised at the danger her daughter was in.</p>
<p>She looked at Jianzhu with her true emotion now, as if he had stabbed her through the heart. He had lied to her and deceived her repeatedly. All of her trust had completely melted away when she found Kelsang’s body at the mines. The man did everything to avoid her gaze and continued to look straight towards Hui. It was obvious by the look at his face that Jianzhu thought Hui didn’t truly know what was going on. There was no more hiding now.</p>
<p>“You have demonstrated unforgivable negligence at best and cost the Earth Kingdom its portion of the Avatar cycle at worst!” Hui claimed. “You are no longer fit to serve as the Avatar’s master!”</p>
<p>The accusation finally made Jianzhu snap. “And you are?” he shouted, leaping to his feet. “You who want that power and status for no reason other than it’s there!?”</p>
<p>Hui took the time to smell and sip his tea, knowing he’d won. “This gathering has not yet decided whom the Avatar, if still alive, should learn from,” he said smugly.</p>
<p>Hei-Ran was beginning to feel queasy. Her forehead grew damp. She blinked a few times to refocus her blurring vision. </p>
<p>“This gathering,” Jianzhu sneered, swaying on his feet. “This isn’t a proper conclave of sages. You’ve identified my enemies among the leadership of the Earth Kingdom and brought them to my doorstep like a bandit gang!”</p>
<p>The room was beginning to spin more and more with each breath. Hei-Ran could hear her heart beating in her ears. She looked around and noticed growing discomfort throughout the room while everything began to spin.</p>
<p>“What has he promised you, huh?” Jianzhu yelled, stumbling into the table. “Money? Power? For centuries men like Hui have carved up this nation and offered slices to anyone who’ll pay! I’m the one trying to make it strong!”</p>
<p>The assembly all began to cough. Hei-Ran spit up blood into her hand and looked over at Hui before looking at Jianzhu. He had poisoned the tea. As quick as she could, Hei-Ran stood up and stumbled towards the entrance of the room. She tripped over her own feet and swayed into a decorative table, causing the vases on top to topple off. </p>
<p>She made it to the door and snapped it open. With a groan, Hei-Ran fell to her knees in the hallway. She retched and wiped the sweat from her face while looking down at the puddle of blood below. Several of the house staff screamed and rushed to help. She could hear a few distant voices just before she blacked out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Farewells</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Big oof! The ending to this one and the outlines for the final two chapters hurt my soul.</p>
<p>I've had questions about writing "The Shadow of Rangi." Is this something y'all would be interested in? Let me know. Give me you feedback. I'd love to know!</p>
<p>As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You seem to be deeper in thought than usual.” </p>
<p>It was not often Rangi became startled but Lao Ge had approached silently from around the building. She was on watch and had been enjoying the quiet of the night. The old man now stood next to her, staring out in the same direction she faced. </p>
<p>“Are you still thinking about everything you could have done differently?” Lao Ge asked.</p>
<p>Her eyes shifted towards the man. “Perhaps.” They had hardly spoken before so it was a curious matter on why he suddenly wanted to have a more intimate conversation with her.</p>
<p>“I’m sure you have already heard it from others, but you cannot control the Avatar’s fate.” Lao Ge said.</p>
<p>“I accepted the responsibility of protecting the Avatar. And I should have known better than to allow her to enter a fight like that.” Rangi looked down at her feet before looking back out towards the town. It was getting tiring having the same talk repeatedly. Everyone had an opinion on how she should feel.</p>
<p>“But you also understand the rules of a challenge. I suspect you have witnessed plenty of Agni Kais. You know there is no interference in those situations. That was Kyoshi’s fight and not yours.” He earth bent a pebble from the ground and into his hand. </p>
<p>Rangi nodded. “I know.” </p>
<p>“And that means you know that in your future with Avatar Kyoshi, you have to be able to distinguish how you should act as her bodyguard versus her,” he cleared his throat, ”friend.”</p>
<p>They both looked at each other with a grin at his joking acknowledgment. She sighed. “There’s a lot that I need to figure out.”</p>
<p>“I can tell you that the decisions that you and Kyoshi will face together will only get worse the more you both embrace your roles,” Lao Ge said, tossing the pebble up and down in his palm.</p>
<p>“Don’t you mean that it will get easier over time? You know, with experience and all.” Rangi asked.</p>
<p>“It’ll never get easier. The Avatar maintains balance to the world and the Avatar’s companions, especially you, dear girl, maintain balance to the Avatar. She will deal with horrific scenarios you cannot even fathom right now and you will bear witness to every one of them. Give it enough time, and you’ll both bear the scars.”</p>
<p>He spoke out of kindness and sorrow. “It’s a shame that you and Kyoshi will have never experienced a childhood. I’m of the opinion that the Avatar is given too much influence at too young of an age. A child trying to battle the favors of rulers that care more about their monetary holdings than the people they are meant to serve.”</p>
<p>“Do you think she will turn out to be a good Avatar?” The words slipped from Rangi’s lips before she could stop them.</p>
<p>Lao Ge paused for a beat, weighing the pebble in his palm. “She has much to learn but it doesn’t matter what I think. The better question is do you think she will be a good Avatar? You seem to hold a heavier judgment on her compared to anyone else.”</p>
<p>Rangi focused on the village and thought over the past months and years they had spent together. Kyoshi was kind but clever. She was quick to catch on and loyal and righteous. There was much for her to learn but that would come with time. “She’s going to be a great Avatar. I think she’s going to be remembered for many years to come... once she establishes herself better, that is.”</p>
<p>“A wise answer,” he said. “Now, what I’m curious about is if you’re ready to help Kyoshi fight her next man.”</p>
<p>Rangi’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?”</p>
<p>The old man clicked his tongue. “Kyoshi’s ultimate goal. The reason why she even found the Flying Opera Company in the first place. Do you feel ready to help Kyoshi fight Jianzhu?”</p>
<p>It was a solemn reminder to the main goal that had always been hovering in the background. Jianzhu was the final target. That was not that part that put her at unease though. What made her chest beat loudly was the thought of her mother taking Jianzhu’s side and helping him bring Kyoshi back to Yokoya. </p>
<p>Did her mother know the truth about what happened at the mines? Was she helping Jianzhu track them down? How much was her mother truly influenced by Jianzhu and would she trust him over her own daughter? The fear had remained suppressed for some time but now it began to move to the surface once more.</p>
<p>“I’ll be ready.” It was the only answer she could provide at the moment.</p>
<p>“Very well,” Lao Ge said. “I’ll leave you be, but one more thing. You are held in Kyoshi’s highest regards and she considers you her anchor. Remember that how you influence her may influence many important decisions in this world, especially after Jianzhu is out of the picture.” The man walked off without another word. Before he left, he had tossed the pebble down at Rangi’s feet. She glanced down at it and before going back to watching the town in silence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Rangi grinned down at the Pai Sho board as Lek tried once more to beat her at a game he hardly knew how to play. There were several traps laid out and at least six different ways she could win in a single move. It provided an endless source of entertainment to watch the boy struggle. She hoped his obsession with trying to win would end soon though.</p>
<p>A figure filled the doorway in her peripheral and Rangi looked up to see Kyoshi standing there. The largest smile lit her face as her heart skipped and raced and tumbled in happiness and relief. “You’re on your feet again.”</p>
<p>“I’ve been off them too long,” Kyoshi said, walking into the room. “I don’t feel right staying in the same town for so many days straight.”</p>
<p>“The rest of us agreed we weren’t going anywhere until you were a hundred percent better,” Lek said. “Kyoshi, you took a lot of… lightning bolts? Honestly, I don’t know how you’re alive.”</p>
<p>Lek turned to Rangi and looked at her as if it were her fault. “I mean, I’ve never met a Firebender other than you. Is that some kind of dirty trick you people pull out to win Angi Kois or whatever?”</p>
<p>“No!” Rangi protested at the accusation. “Bending lightning is a skill so rare that there are barely any living witnesses who can confirm it exists! And the reports don’t mention Xu was from the Fire Nation at all! Do you think I’d let Kyoshi walk into a fight without telling her everything I knew about her opponent?”</p>
<p>“I thought a Firebender’s honor was so strong that you could sense if there was another Firebender around!” Lek argued.</p>
<p>Rangi’s face contorted in disbelief. “How does that even make sense?”</p>
<p>“All I know, from what I have heard, is that Firebenders have special ways of doing things. Surely there was a way that you should have known that he was a Firebender too!” Lek huffed.</p>
<p>“I can’t tell if someone else is a Firebender, just like you can’t tell if someone is an Earthbender.” She rolled her eyes and looked over at Kyoshi, who was now kneeling next to her. “I swear I didn’t- Oh, Kyoshi.” Rangi cried with sudden dismay. “Your hands.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi held them up to show they’d healed. “They feel fine.”</p>
<p>“But the scars.” Rangi entwined her fingers with Kyoshi’s and brought them to her cheek. She nuzzled at the palm. “You had such beautiful hands. Your skin was so smooth and -”</p>
<p>Lek coughed loudly and Rangi went wide-eyed with slight embarrassment. “I have an idea for that. Come on, lovebirds. Let’s go shopping.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>Zigan hadn’t been particularly friendly to her the other day when she bought food for the family on the outskirts of town. Now it was worse.</p>
<p>The townsfolk stared at the group of three, mostly Kyoshi, with fear and hostility rather than the general rudeness of before. Doors and shutters slammed closed as they walked by. Those without simply took to vigorously shaking their rugs and curtains for emphasis.</p>
<p>“Do I still have paint on my face?” Kyoshi asked. “Why are they looking at us like that?”</p>
<p>“Well, for starters, a lot of Zigan saw flashes of lightning and a pillar of wind and fire from your duel with Xu,” Lek answered. “And then some of the daofei passed through town as they fled, telling stories of a giant with eyes of blood who drank the soul of their leader. These idiots haven’t necessarily put together that you’re the Avatar. I heard one shopkeeper say you were a dragon in human form, which explained why you could fly and breathe fire.”</p>
<p>Kyoshi’s shoulders rolled forward in defeat. “But I saved them from the Yellow Necks!”</p>
<p>Lek laughed. “Kyoshi, by a strict interpretation of the Code, you are now the leader of the Yellow Necks. Dr. Song’s no dummy, and it took a lot of begging to get her to think about helping you. She saw a daofei girl who’d challenged her elder brother for control of their gang and won. Face it, sister. You are dangerous.”</p>
<p>Rangi rolled her eyes and shook her head at how difficult it was getting to keep up with all of Kyoshi’s new changes and titles. The thought of Kyoshi simultaneously being the Avatar and the leader of the Yellow Necks made her soul hurt. This had never been part of her fear of them joining the daofei because why would the thought of Kyoshi becoming a daofei leader ever have crossed her mind? It was a harsh reality now but that could be revisited when she and Kyoshi had a moment alone to catch up.</p>
<p>Lek turned and led them into a cramped shop. An old man as dried and stretched as the skins he sold sat on the floor. He nodded at each of them, without the fear or disdain of the other villagers. </p>
<p>“We’re looking for a pair of gloves for my friend,” Lek said. “They’ll have to be big, of course.”</p>
<p>The shopkeeper gestured at one wall where the largest examples hung. They watched Kyoshi press her hand against the glove at the very end of the row and shake her head. </p>
<p>“I got one or two more, bigger, in the back,” the old man said unhurriedly. “But they’d be no good for regular wear. Not unless you figure on fighting a battle every day.”</p>
<p>“I think…” Kyoshi pondered for a second. “I think we should give them a shot.”</p>
<p>He shuffled around, staying seated, and rummaged in a pile. Rangi chuckled to herself upon realizing that “the back” of the shop was simply whatever was behind him in the hide bag.</p>
<p>“Made these for a colonel on the rise in the army a long time ago,” he said. “Poor fellow died before he could pick them up.”</p>
<p>The gloves were more like gauntlets. The thick, supple leather fastened to gleaming metal bracers that protected the wrists. Rangi and Lek watched as Kyoshi pulled them on and buckled the straps. They were aggressive in their appearance, which would hopefully make Kyoshi appear the same way to anyone new that wanted to challenge her.</p>
<p>“They’re perfect,” Kyoshi said. “What do we owe you?”</p>
<p>“Take ‘em,” the shopkeeper said with the slightest smile. “Consider it a gift for what you did.”</p>
<p>He elaborated no further. Kyoshi and Rangi bowed deeply before they exited the shop, grateful. </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>They walked down the street in high spirits. Kyoshi pulled one of her fans out and levitated a pebble. Rangi watched, happy to see her up and about again. “If only it were this easy to find shoes that fit,” Kyoshi grumbled.</p>
<p>“It’s better than being short and skinny,” Lek said morosely. “If I was your size, I’d be ruling my own nation by now.”</p>
<p>Rangi laughed and squeezed his arm. “Aw, cheer up, Lek!” She teasingly prodded at his bicep, working her way higher. “You’ll fill out soon. You have good bone structure.”</p>
<p>Lek turned a deeper red than the face paint they wore on the raid. “Cut it out!” he said, trying to yank his arm away.</p>
<p>Rangi felt a prick and sting in the small of her back. A burning sensation spread across her body and she lost control. Still holding onto Lek, her knees buckled and dragged in the dirt before her entire body had gone limp. “Wha-” she mumbled, her vision rapidly going in and out. </p>
<p>She watched as Lek fell to the ground not far from her. His face began to turn red and swollen. Kyoshi soon collapsed after him and Rangi did everything she could to get up, but her body was held captive by the poison. She couldn’t move a single muscle. Her eyes became heavy and Kyoshi was no longer in her sight.</p>
<p>Feet ran over to them. Pairs of hands hastily grabbed Rangi and dragged her away. She tried to shout and scream but couldn’t bring her body to do anything except slowly pass out. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p>Rangi could hear herself breathing. The shallow inhales and exhales sounded loud in her own head. Her eyes drowsily opened, her vision blurred and spinning. A dull ache ran through her head. </p>
<p>Her hands went to rub her temples as she groaned but were immediately stopped in their place. Once more she tried to reach for her face before realizing her wrists were shackled behind her back. She felt the iron against her skin now and began to panic.</p>
<p>Rangi attempted to sit up but found that her muscles had little strength in them. She attempted to call out but only coughed from the dryness in her mouth.</p>
<p>“Good to see you’re finally awake.” A man’s voice sounded in front of her.</p>
<p>Rangi barely managed to speak, “Jianzhu.”</p>
<p>“Let’s get you lifted to your knees.” Jianzhu looked past her and two guards eased Rangi up onto her knees and steadied her before letting go.</p>
<p>Being upright helped relieve some of the blur and Rangi was able to lift her head to bring Jianzhu into view. He looked rough for wear. Her eyes danced around the obscure area in front of her. They were in the middle of a grassy field. “Where’s Kyoshi?”</p>
<p>“Kyoshi is back in Zigan still,” Jianzhu answered. “Rangi, I’m going to ask the questions from this point forward. Why did you allow the Avatar to leave Yokoya?” </p>
<p>The dull ache was quickly forming into a head-splitting pain through her forehead and behind her eyes. “Because the Avatar asked me to.”</p>
<p>“And you thought that was a good idea? Given that she was panicked? You didn’t stop to think that she was simply spooked from finding out that she was the Avatar?” The man was saying and asking a lot more than her mind could process, but Rangi did her best to keep up.</p>
<p>“She wasn’t spooked because of being the Avatar. She was spooked-“ Rangi had another coughing fit before she was able to continue. “She was spooked because of you.”</p>
<p>Jianzhu squatted down in front of Rangi with furrowed eyebrows and a twisted mouth. “Because of me? And why would that be it?”</p>
<p>Rangi stared the man down. There were dark rings under his eyes and it looked as if he had been dragged through the paddock and back. He looked filled with revenge and anger. She narrowed her eyes to match. “Perhaps it is because you sacrificed Yun to a spirit and you murdered Master Kelsang.”</p>
<p>Jianzhu snarled. “Are those the lies she has been spreading?”</p>
<p>“Kyoshi doesn’t lie, not like you.” Rangi snapped back. Jianzhu flinched at the jab.</p>
<p>“Your mother is not going to approve of how you are acting towards a superior right now.” </p>
<p>“You are not my superior. You may be the Avatar’s Master, but I am the Avatar’s most direct bodyguard. That means I am trusted more than you to protect her and I have kept to my duty. Unlike you! You have used and killed innocent people!” Rangi wished she could have sent spit flying into the man’s face. She could feel the anger building in the pit of her stomach. “You have no right to being the Avatar’s master anymore!”</p>
<p>Jianzhu stood up and pulled a knife from the sheath on his belt. “Not your superior? No right to be the Avatar’s Master?” He reached forward and grabbed her hair by the topknot, yanking her head back so she was forced to look him in the eyes. “Those are strong accusations coming from a teenager. It seems you have become disobedient and unruly and it’s time for you to take responsibility for your actions.” </p>
<p>Rangi eyeballed the knife. She fought against his grip as hard as she could and eventually got her legs from underneath her. The moment she was sitting, Rangi swept both of her legs into Jianzhu’s ankles and upended him, sending him falling to the ground, releasing her from his grip.</p>
<p>With awkward difficulty, the girl attempted to scramble onto her feet but her ankle got caught in an earth bent prison and she fell face-first into the ground. Jianzhu grabbed her topknot once more and yanked her head back once more. “Enough is enough, Rangi. Your actions have consequences and it is time you remember where your place is in the full scheme of things.”</p>
<p>Without any care or precision, Jianzhu carved the knife through her hair, just under the ribbon she used to pull it back. She laid there in silent horror, unable to determine if she was still breathing or not.</p>
<p>Jianzhu knelt down in front of her and held the silky black topknot of hair out for her to see. “Now, you are going back to Yokoya and I will be following shortly behind with the Avatar. Understand? She should be easy to retrieve now that you’re out of the picture.”</p>
<p>Rangi looked up at the man with tears building in her eyes. They weren’t there out of sadness, but instead out of anger. If she had the strength to firebend, she would have sent a blast of flames into his now smug face. She snarled. “Where’s my mother?”</p>
<p>“At home, where you should have been this entire time!” Jianzhu snapped back. He stood up and walked away towards the two guards with him. “If she gives you any more trouble, I give you permission to use another shirshu dart on her.”</p>
<p>They picked Rangi up from off the ground. She stared Jianzhu down as they prepared to head back to Yokoya. If Kyoshi didn’t kill him, Rangi was going to be the one to do so.</p>
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